Flower Care Guide

How to care for your fresh cut flowers

Should you have picked up your flowers from the florist be sure to take them home as soon as possible and make sure you keep them out of the sun in the car and don’t leave them in the boot, as the heat will surely damage them. Be gentle in handling them and ensure you follow the information below in treating your flowers to revive them after being out of water. It takes 2- 3 hours to re-hydrate them.

If flowers are arranged in florist’s foam (Oasis), top up with clean water daily, taking care not to overfill, this is best done over the sink.

If you have received cut flowers, strip stems and cut diagonally about 2 cm from the base prior to placing in clean water. Take special care to remove all the leaves that will be underwater, as they contain bacteria that may quickly proliferate and spoil the water. Change water at least every three days and add solution if you have some from the florist, or you can make it, as below.

Position flowers away from draughts, direct heat and sunlight. Do not place them on or near heat generating appliances such as TV’s and microwave ovens.

As some flowers will last longer than others, carefully remove spent blooms, especially if other flowers in your display are still alive and looking good.

Roses and orchids may be sprayed lightly with cool water from a spray bottle and orchids love flat lemonade added to their water. Do not spray Phalaenopsis Orchids.

Homemade Flower Food: 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar and 1 qtr teaspoon of bleach. (To make a larger amount to keep: 2 dessert spoons of sugar, 1 dessert spoon of white vinegar and half a teaspoon of bleach). Flower Care is important and will lengthen the flower’s lifespan.