We all know how frustrating it is to buy flowers but have them die on us only a few days later. We’ve compiled some tips for the before, during, and after process of receiving your arrangement that will help keep your flowers healthy for up to a week.
Before:
Here at The Dizzy Daisy, we make sure that our flowers are nothing but fresh. We receive flowers three times a week, and triple-check each bundle to ensure the quality is perfect. If we notice any old flowers, we send them back.
While we’re prepping the arrangements, we don’t use preservatives or chemical compounds. We rely simply on our clean tools, clean hands and clean work environment to get the job done. We also store our flowers in temperatures low enough to slow their metabolism, prolonging their life spans. Low temperatures stop bacteria from growing on or around the flowers, keeping our flowers strong and healthy.
Our fresh flowers are prepared in a clean environment.
During:
When picking out flowers, make sure to check the water levels of the vased flower arrangement. If the water is filled up to the top, the flowers are most likely freshly made. If the water level looks low, this may indicate that the arrangement has been made a day or two before. Bouquets made two days before are still fresh, but feel free to ask the florist to change the water and recut the stems to maximize the life of the arrangement.
Hot Tip: when buying roses, observe the actual flower heads in the store before you purchase them. While fully bloomed flowers look beautiful and tempting, flowers that are closed will last longer, living out their natural life. Touch the bud and observe its toughness; if it’s too hard, the rose most likely won’t open, and if it’s too soft, it may not last as long as you would like. Instead, opt for a flower that is more firm to the touch but has some give.
Left: Squeeze the flower bud and make sure it's firm.
Right: If the water level is low, ask a florist to refill it and recut the stems.
After:
After you bring your flowers home, there are some simple steps to follow to assure that your flowers last a full life. First, you want to place them in an area that will allow them to thrive. Avoid putting them in direct sunlight, or places where the temperature may fluctuate rapidly, such as next to a fan, air conditioner, fridge or TV/electronics.
There are many myths that say putting coins, bleach, aspirin or ice cubs in the flower water will help the flowers live, but those add unwanted chemicals and bacteria that could kill them quickly.
Hot Tip: adding food preservatives to the water can speed up the metabolism of the flowers, causing them to bloom faster and shortening their life. We don’t provide flower food with our arrangements. Instead, we suggest cutting the stems every other day, making sure that all stems are touching the water, cleaning the vase with soap and re filling the vase with fresh clean water. Flower stems are like human skin; after each cut they heal themselves. Recutting the stems allows the flowers to suck up water, providing the nutrients and hydration they needed to thrive.
Lastly, if you see any dead or dying flowers, remove them from the arrangement so the bacteria doesn’t spread to the others flowers.
Left: Cut the stems every other day to allow the flowers to gain water.
Right: Wash the vase and refill it with enough water to cover the stems.
If you spot any dead flowers, like the wilting lisianthus above, remove them so they don't kill the rest of the bouquet.
