Caring For Flowers

Taking Care of Your Flowers

Receiving flowers in a container:
If you receive flowers in a container with floral foam, make sure that the container is always full of water. Your florist should provide you with floral food, which you should treat the water with. Underneath the greens, there should be a place where water can be added.

Receiving flowers in a vase:
You must always check to see if the water in the vase is clear. When the water turns cloudy, you must empty it, add new water mixed in with the floral food provided by your florist. If possible, try and cut the stems each time you change the water, this will ensure a longer life for your flowers.

Receiving flowers in a box:
You must remove all foliage that falls below the water line, cut the stems with a sharp knife, in a sink of warm water. The newly cut stems should be placed into water mixed with floral food immediately. Be sure to cut the stems under the warm water.

Flowers do not like:
Televisions: make sure you keep your flowers off televisions as the radiation from the television will kill the flowers.
Appliances/heating or cooling units: the heat from the appliances will damage the flowers.
Direct sunlight and warm/cold draughts: flowers are not used to quick changes in temperature or heavy sunlight.

Importance of changing the water in a flower vase:
If you have noticed when you get flowers in a vase, the water begins to turn a yellow cloudy colour, this is due to the bacteria that is growing in the water. The bacterium that grows in the water clogs the stems of the flowers, shortening the lifespan of vase flowers. To ensure the longevity of your flowers, follow the instructions above for caring for flowers in vases.

Keeping the flowers away from direct sunlight:
It is true that growing flowers need sunlight for maturing, but that does not apply to cut flowers, as they will fade much faster when exposed to heat and direct sunlight.

Reviving a wilted rose:
Depending upon the rose’s vase life, the following process may help revive it. Fill a sink with warm water, lay the rose in the water, and then cut the stem about 1” with a sharp knife, ensuring the cutting is done under water. Leave the rose in the warm water for about two hours and let the water cool. This should help the rose return back to life, unless the rose is passed its vase life, in which case it will not revive.