Fresh Flowers from Sacramento Florist and How to keep Flowers Fresh

A bouquet of fresh cut flowers is always a welcome addition to any home or office. Fresh flowers can brighten someone’s day, deliver a meaningful message, decorate a special occasion, distract us from sorrow, and remind us of the gifts of nature. Part of the intrinsic value of fresh cut flowers is the fact that their beauty is so fleeting… making them all the more precious.

Nonetheless, we usually want those fresh flowers to last as long as possible.

Fortunately, we can add several days to the vase life of fresh cut flowers by following the practices used by professional florists to prolong the vitality of their products. A small investment of time will pay off in the extended enjoyment of your beautiful blossoms.

Once you receive the fresh flowers delivered by your local florist, place them in an appropriate location, away from heat or drafts. Never put them on top of a television set or near a heat or air-conditioning vent. If possible, keep them in a cooler location at night when you’re not enjoying them. Most cut flowers can be stored at temperatures as low as 38° or 40° F., the temperature of a home refrigerator. The exception would be tropical flowers such as fresh orchids, anthuriums, and ginger blossoms; coming from warm, steamy regions of the world, these flowers are damaged by cold temperatures. Keep them above 55° F. Also, be sure to keep your fresh flowers away from ethylene gas, which is given off by ripening fruit and other organic materials. Many flowers are quite sensitive to ethylene, especially carnations, freesias, and lilies, which significantly shortens their vase life.

Check the water level in the vase daily, adding more nutrient solution as necessary. Mist the fresh cut flowers with plain water as often as possible, even several times a day, helping to keep moisture in their petals. Every few days, remove the flowers from the vase, replace the water and flower food, put a fresh cut on the stems, and arrange the flowers back in their vase.

A Vanity Fair Florist, your local Sacramento florist has the experience to be able to advise you on even more care and handling tips that are helpful with specific varieties. For example, hydrangeas can benefit from being completely submerged under water for several minutes prior to processing. Gladioli will open their florets faster if you remove a couple of buds from the very tip of the spike. With just a little effort, you can add several days of enjoyment to your fresh cut flowers… and their beauty may not be quite so fleeting after all.

Reprinted with permission from FlowerShopNetwork.com.