FLOWER CARE

Bouquets

Replenish the water frequently. Change the water every 2-3 days

Flowers drink a lot of water! It's not unusual for large flower arrangements to drink all the water in a vase within the first day or two. Flowers are very susceptable to bacteria that builds up as the stems sit in water. Changing the water every few days will help your flowers live longer (and also avoid that terrible rotten smell that developes if you let them sit a long time).

Trim 10-15mm off the stems when you first receive your flowers as you place them in a clean vase.

If flowers are left out of water for any amount of time, the ends of the stem dry out and seal over making it imposible for them to 'drink' water. By cutting the stems immediatly prior to placing in water again, you expose fresh clean tissue that can absorb and draw water back up to the flower head again keeping your flowers alive and healthy for longer.

Keep you flowers away from direct heat and sunlight

While it's tempting to place your flowers on a sunny windowsill, cut flowers much prefer a shady spot. Sun and heat encourage them to "mature" and thus hastens their demise. Choose a cool spot out of direct sunlight if you want you flowers to last as long as possible.

Avoid placing your flowers close to ripening fruit or vegetables, especially bananas and apples.

Ripening fruit release an odourless gas called ethylene which is harmless to humans is fatal for flowers. The gas contains hormones that induce the flowers to complete their 'life cycle' by dropping their petals and exposing the 'fruit/seed' centre ready to sow and begin the life cycle again.

Wash your vase/vessel thoroughly

Bacteria builds up in dirty vases and vessels and does not go away just because the vase dries out. As soon as you add water again, the vase will once again be full of bacteria and your new bouquet will be subjected to the same bacteria that killed the last bouquet. Give your flowers a fresh clean environment free from bacteria and they will last much longer.

Use sharp scissors when cutting

If you use dull blunt scissors or snips to trim your flowers, you are ofter crushing and shreding the ends and thus damaging the tissue/cells at the end of the stem. Damaged cells cannot absorb water as effectively as healthy cells.

Flower Arrangements

If flowers are aranged in green florists foam in a vessel (box, basket, ceramic and sometimes a vase), top up with water every 2-3 days taking care not to overfill.