It happened! You received a beautiful bouquet of flowers arranged by Karen’s Flower Shop. They look gorgeous, smell divine, and were given by someone who cares – making them all the more special! Now, because of this, you want to enjoy them for as long as possible…but how? It’s easy, and will take minimal work that will reap major benefits in long lasting blooms. Just follow our simple guidelines below for both vase arrangements and hand-tied bouquets!

1 – If you’ve received a hand-tied bouquet you will need to get those flowers into water immediately! But before you do so, make sure to clear any leaves or foliage that will be submerged in water. The reason for this is due to erosion. The water will deteriorate the leaves causing bacteria to form in the water, and the nasty cycle of deterioration won’t stop just there! It will in turn get absorbed into the stems and spoil the beautiful blooms.

2 – Once you’ve successfully removed all leaves and foliage you will then need to turn your attention to the vase. Flowers do not like to be cramped…consider them claustrophobics. A vase that is too cramped will cause bruising which in turn will  damage the flowers, resulting in a rapid decline in health.

3 – Once the vase is picked, fill it up with room temp or lukewarm water; too cold will shock the flowers and too hot will boil them. Somewhere in the middle is just right! Be sure to always put enough water in. This is key as hollow stemmed flowers such as, dahlias and delphiniums drink a lot of water in a day. And don’t forget to add the floral life that is added to every bouquet! Think of it as protein for blooms adding longevity and nutrients crucial to maintaining fresh cut flowers!

4 – Next is the fun part, cutting and arranging the blooms! Make sure each cut is made on an extreme angle, as it allows for a larger area for the flower to drink. Cutting straight across will suffocate the flower and decline its health rapidly! When cutting make sure you are using something sharp whether it’s shears, scissors or a knife as to not crush the stem. If the stem is damaged it will hinder water absorption, which is essential to sustaining life.

It is also vital that each stem should be cut and placed into water immediately. The reason being is stems will “scab over” if cut and left out of water. Why, you ask? Because the bloom will not be able to drink the water as a fine film develops over the new cut within seconds of being out of water, blocking the ability to drink naturally.

5 – When finding a location to admire your new flowers it’s significant to recall that keeping your blooms out of direct heat and sunlight is very beneficial. Fresh cut flowers prefer to be cool – that’s why we house them in large refrigerators!

6 – Every 2-3 days the old water should be removed and new water should be placed back in the vase, as previously stated bacteria develops in the water fast and will start decomposing the flowers. But before you place your flowers back in the water make sure you do another quick angled cut!

An essential fact to remember is that decaying blooms release a gas called ethylene, also known as the “flower killer” so to combat against this silent, odorless killer you must maintain the blooms overall health. It is important to note that cigarettes omit ethylene gas, so to keep your gorgeous arrangement happy and healthy so avoid smoking in the same room.

7 – Admire, thank someone, take pictures and post online! Whatever you choose, enjoy them! It was our pleasure putting together your custom piece and if you ever have any questions feel free to reach out to our team at Karen’s Flower Shop at 905-878-2881.

Contact Karen’s Flower Shop, at www.karensflowershop.ca or 905-878-2881 for all your floral needs including care and maintenance.

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