Flowers can be one of the most beautiful gifts that you receive. Imagine you have received a perfect bouquet consisting of roses, tulips, carnations and orchids. Such a combination can make you feel happy, and you will be overjoyed on receiving the bouquet. But with a handheld bouquet, your first reaction will be to put these in water to make them last longer. Flowers are beautiful but are equally delicate. Hence, you need to take care of these to make them last longer. The common notion is that flowers need to be put in a suitable vase with sufficient water, which will last long. However, without proper care, these will last only the expected period. If you want the bouquet to last longer, you will need to take care of the flowers, and you will find that these last longer than expected. Some of the steps that you can follow to make flowers last longer are as follows:
1. Trimming and pruning
When the flowers arrive from the florist, these are all trimmed and pruned. You can put these directly in a vase and fill it with water. But after a couple of days, when you replace the water, take out all the flowers and spread them out. It is vital to trip the stems of the flowers to improve water intake. You will also see some of the branches have become slimy or do not appear to be fresh. These need to be trimmed as this can cause the water to get contaminated. Hence, the first thing you should do to make the flowers last longer is to cut the stems to ensure that the section in the water is fresh.
Pruning includes removing the dried petals or any other section of the flower that does not appear fresh. If you check the flowers carefully, you will find that several of the stems have leaves. This is especially true of flowers like roses, tulips, hyacinths, gardenias and freesias. If you find that the leaves are not looking fresh and green, you need to remove these and prune the flowers. The same applies to the petals of the flowers. The outer petals dry out faster than the inner ones. Additionally, these tend to become prone to bacterial rot. When you remove these petals, you will find that your flowers look brighter and these last longer.
2. Watering the flowers
It is a natural tendency to water the flowers regularly in the expectation that these will last longer. However, in most cases, this can prove counterproductive. In most cases, you will find that overwatering leads to bacterial rot, which results in the flowers wilting faster. You will also find the flowers lose their natural fragrance, and often there is a foul odour emanating from the vase. To avoid all of these, there are specific points to remember about watering the flowers. Some of these are as follows:
- When you put the flowers in water, check the size of the vase. Ensure that the vase is not too big as this would lead to overwatering. The vase should be of a suitable size ideal for the bouquet.
- When you cut the stems and replace the water, do not fill the vase to the brim. As the branches of the flowers become shorter in length, you should be careful about the amount of water you add.
- You must also be careful about the temperature of the water. Put the flowers in a vase of water which is at room temperature. If the water is warm or too cold, it will cause the flowers to wilt and dry. Room temperature water or slightly cool water is ideal for flowers.
- When you water your flowers, check if there is any foliage below the water level. If there is, then remove the foliage. Leaves or flowers that are in direct contact with water will rot faster. This rot can spread and cause your bouquet to wilt. Therefore, it is essential to remove any foliage which is in the water.
Water forms an essential part of the entire process of taking care of a bouquet. Therefore, it would be best to be careful about watering the flowers and the water’s temperature.
3. Placing the flowers in a cool part of the room
It is essential to choose a suitable place in the room to put the flowers. Ensure that the flowers are placed at a spot away from any cold drafts and direct heat. Do not place the flowers close to a window as this will expose the flowers directly to heat, light and even wind. Instead, it is essential to put the vase of flowers in a secluded spot in the room. This is all the more important if you have placed fragrant flowers like roses, hyacinth or jasmine in the bouquet. If these flowers last long, they will fill the room with a gentle fragrance as long as these last. Hence, you could try to make these last longer than expected.
4. Choosing a suitable food for your flowers
Cut flowers also need to be given food to keep these bright and vibrant. This food is in the form of chemicals. These can help maintain the pH balance of the water in which the flowers are placed. When you replace the water, ensure that you mix the food for flowers to make the flowers last longer. These powders can have citric acid to keep the water slightly acidic and even antibacterial powder mixed. You can acquire these from your florist and add small amounts to the water to make the flowers last longer.When you make the flowers last longer than usual, you will find it satisfying as you will find that flowers remain bright and fresh. This will keep reminding you of the love and affection of the person who sent you the flowers. For buying perfectly designed and handcrafted bouquets of seasonal flowers in melbourne, you can contact at 0394971349 or visit Flowers Club. Moreover, bright and vibrant flowers can brighten any room. Therefore, by taking the most straightforward steps, you can make the flowers last longer than usual.