Flower Care Tips

Many of our floral arrangements will last about 4-7 days, but it largely depends on the type of flower or plant and how well they are taken care of. Below we have listed tips to make your arrangements last longer and look brighter, courtesy of the Society of American Florists.

• Use a sharp knife to cut one to two inches off the stem.
• Always keep your flowers in a cool area until they can be placed in water with the flower food solution.
• Fill a clean vase of the appropriate size with water and carefully follow the mixing directions when adding the flower food to the water.
• Letting the leaves on the stem touch water can promote bad bacteria growth, so it's important to cut any leaves off that would be underwater.

• Maintain the water level in vase or floral foam. To optimize the effectiveness of the flower food, it is essential that the mixing directions are followed carefully. There shouldn't be too much or too little water.
• If the water becomes unclear, replace the water with new flower food and try to take another one to two inches off the stem. To avoid crushing the stem, use a sharp knife. Place the arrangement back into the solution as soon as possible.
• Just like loose bunches or boxed flowers, try to keep the flowers at a cooler temperature, but avoid placing them directly under a ceiling fan or near a cooling vent. Don't put them under direct sunlight or by a heating vent either.

• When it comes to picking out your flowers, choose the ones that have firm and upright petals with the buds just starting to bloom. Look to the leaves for yellowness, spots, or droopiness to make sure they are not too old.
• With flowers like forsythia, lilac, or quince that have wood-like stems, use sharp pruning shears to shorten the stems. Use warmer water with the food solution to encourage the bud to open.