Looking after cut flowers

OK ladies, so the man in your life has been less than thoughtful lately and you've been giving him a hard time over it. Like all men, he turns to the floral solution and send you the most beautiful bunch of flowers from a Sydney florist. Great, it worked! So now you're probably thinking about how to make their firm petals and vibrant colors last for as long as possible. Here's how you can make your gorgeous flowers last much longer.

First, remove the flowers from the packaging, hold the stems underwater, and cut the stem at a 45-degree angle using a sharp knife. This angled cutting allows for the greatest amount of surface area, allowing the stems to draw more water. Do not use scissors (a sharp knife is best) to cut the stems and do not crush the stems either; this will damage the tips and block the flower's water intake. If you're unsure give your local Brisbane Florist a call for some advice.

Next, prepare the vase and the water. Kill any bacteria or algae that formed in the vase by cleaning the inside with bleach. If your florist does not include preservatives with the flower delivery, fill the vase with lukewarm water and add a floral preservative. You can either buy preservatives from your florist or make on your own. To make your own preservatives, mix lemon with a very small amount of bleach, or a teaspoon of sugar with a few drops of bleach. Be aware though that using your own homemade concoctions might not be as effective as professional cut flower food supplied by the Melbourne florist because they don't contain the complex mixture of preservatives and nutrients flowers need to survive.

Always remove any leaves that are likely to fall under the waterline before placing the flowers in a vase. Leaves have the tendency to decay when submerged underwater and when these leaves rot, they poison the water and shorten the vase life of your flowers. Now the fun part, arranging the flowers to suit your own taste. Some simple rules to follow are:

• Do not overcrowd the vase


• Use 2 vases if the vase seems crowded


• Use lukewarm water

Once you're happy with your floral arrangement, keep the vase in a cool spot away from direct sunlight to avoid rapid respiration. Respiration is the process wherein living organisms age. It is helpful to note that flowers generally have a higher respiration rate than most agricultural crops. The lower the temperature of the room they are placed in, the longer the flowers will last, so keep out of direct sunlight. However, if the flowers are subjected to temperatures below four degrees, their internal cells can get easily damaged and dry out the flowers. Again, if you're unsure and need advice I'm sure your Adelaide Florist will be more than happy to give advice.

Finally, take care of your flowers every day and remove wilted flowers so they do not contaminate the rest. It is recommended that you change the water daily but if you are too busy to do so, replacing the water every two or three days is fine. Make sure you add the preservative each time you change the water. You can also re-cut the stem for improved water absorption.

Taking care of cut flowers from your Perth Florist is not very difficult as long as you take the steps mentioned above. It does not take much time but you will see the benefits for many days to come. Happy floral arranging!