All That You Need to Know to Keep Your Fresh Flowers Looking Great

It is no secret that people all over the United States love getting flowers for themselves and for others. It has been estimated that about $26.6 billion is spent on floral products around the nation. Nearly 63% of people buy flowers or arrange a flower delivery for others and the other 37% but fresh flowers for themselves. Most of the floral delivery orders happen around the holidays but fresh flowers can brighten up anyone’s day, no matter what the day is.

The problem many people find is that flowers do not stay looking fresh for a long time. In fact, the temporary nature of floral arrangements is very much a part of their appeal. That also makes them special. There are things you can do to make the flower you get for yourself or from another person last longer. Here are some tips from professional florists:

• Keep your fresh flowers away from areas that are too hot or too cold. You never want to place your flowers in direct sunlight or near the vents for your heating system. Some people will put a bouquet in the refrigerator at night or during the day. That will keep your flower delivery looking great for a longer amount of time. When exposed to serious heat or cold, flowers will dry out and age more quickly.
• Get them out of the plastic! A lot of bouquets and flower delivery arrangements come wrapped in plastic. Get them of that as soon as you can.
• Keep your flowers away from smoke and fruits. Cigarette smoke and smoke from the chimney can hut your delicate flowers. By the same token, as fruits ripen (or worse), they emit chemicals that age flowers. Bananas are some of the worst (you should keep them away from other produce as bananas cause other fruits and veggies to ripen faster).
• Feed your flowers! Whether you had a flower delivery or you went to the local florists for your arrangement, a packet of flower food should have come with the flowers. This contains nutrients that can extend the life of your bouquet. If you do not have that, say you picked flowers yourself. Combine one half teaspoon bleach, two tablespoons lemon juice, one tablespoon sugar and one quart of water. This will prevent bacteria from hurting your flowers while giving them the vitamins and fuel they need.
• Make sure you keep the water fresh and change it often. Changing the water in the vase is an important part of keeping your flowers healthy and happy. This is not a process many people think much about but there is a better way to keep your flower delivery gift looking great. Here are some steps to take to give your flowers the best water:

Make sure all the stems get what they need. This may seem like a given but all of the stems in your arrangement need to be totally under the water. This will help all of the flowers get the water they need to look great.

• The special care if the flower arrangement has foam in it. Every day, you should get rid of any dead or dying stems and leaves. The water in the arrangement needs also to be changed out on a daily basis. If you notice the water has turned cloudy but a day has not gone by, change it out anyway. The foam can cause the water to become dirty sooner.
• If your flowers are in a standard vase, with no foam, you still need to remove the dead and dying stems and leaves. But in these instances, you also need to take out the flowers to wash the vase. Remove your flowers, wash the vase with soap and water. Rinse all of the soap out, fill it back up again with water. Clean the stems and put back in your vase.
• Feed your flowers. As was mentioned above, once you have replaced the water, you need to add your food to it. After you have changed the water, you have to put more flower food in.

Follow these tips and your fresh cut flowers will stay beautiful and aromatic for a longer time.