Floral Care Secrets To Longer Lasting Blooms

By, Tabitha Miki FDI

It’s been months, you’ve plotted and schemed with our creative design team; and now the day has finally come! The special day you have flown to the island of O’ahu to ask that wonderful someone to be yours forever! The Hawaiian skies were set ablaze with hues of lavenders, pinks, reds, oranges, and a beautiful pale blues. The salty ocean air glistened as waves gently rolled onto the shores, as you strolled along the beach nervously, and “happened” to find the most luxurious, romantic picnic set up! You slowly get down on one knee and ask the most amazing person to be your partner for life! “Yes!” is the answer! Success! The two of you celebrate your newly engagement with a bubbly toast, call friends and family to share the news, and enjoy your romantic sunset picnic on the stunning Hawaiian shores! Just before you leave, you pick up the gorgeous, couture bouquet to enjoy at your hotel! Don’t know how to care for your beautiful blooms? Our floral team has listed floral care secrets in this blog just for you!

Tip 1:

CLEAN containers. Start by cleaning your containers! There’s nothing worse than starting a project only to have to restart because the container is not clean! After all, the vessel is just as key to the design as the floral material.

Tip 2:

CLEAN water! Especially here in Hawaii where the temperature is on the warmer side. It is very easy for bacteria to grow in the water causing flowers to fade a lot faster than necessary. So cut the stems at a 45 degree angle, wash the container, and change out the water daily.

Tip 3:

Flower food. You’ve seen those little packets that come with flowers. Use them! It actually only needs about ⅓ of the package of flower food and filling a standard rose vase ¾ of the way up with CLEAN water to help the flowers stay fresh. After, I rubber band the rest and seal it in a snack ziplock bag and store in a cool dry place away from pets and young children! Some flower food packs also contain floral preservatives in them and antibacterials to keep the water clean.

Don’t have flower food? For hearty flowers like roses and some pom daisies to even some flowers more on the fragile side, like Oriental lilies, you can add 1 tablespoon of plain sugar and a capful of bleach to the water, about 1 standard rose vase filled ¾ of the way up. Working with hydrangeas and left without flower food? It is best to simply use fresh, plain, CLEAN water. The hydrangeas will still be ok. Flower food is better, but simple care will always provide great results as well.

Tip 4:

Clean Tools! Just as health care instruments and needles need to be new and sterile, so do your clippers! Different flowers and foliage have different properties that are there to keep that plant healthy and defend itself against danger. For example, daffodils exude a chemical in the water when put with other flowers that will shorten the life of other flowers. So before using those same clippers, it’s a good idea to have a separate sponge for floral tools and vases and use dish soap to wash the clippers and dry them with a clean towel. You can also use paper towel and rubbing alcohol to sterilize the tools between use.

Now that you have learned a little more about floral care, you can move on to caring for your floral masterpiece! Best wishes and remember proper floral care will result in the best outcome for your couture floral art and the longest life!

Looking for more tips and ideas to make your proposal special and memorable? Send us a message! Let’s get planning!