Flower Care Tips

Valentine's Day has come and gone and we want to keep those flowers blooming as long as we possibly can! Here are a few tips to help them thrive:

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! 

Cut flowers love fresh water, so if you only do one thing to keep your flowers blooming, change out the water every other day. For bouquets designed using floral foam, simply grab the foam with both hands and lift it out of the vase. Run cool water over the foam for 45-60 seconds and let the excess water drip out. When rehydrating loose stems in a vase, grab your scissors and cut the stems at a 45 degree angle, rinse the vase out, and put those stems back into the fresh water. Giving them a fresh cut will open up the fleshy part of the stem, which helps with water absorption. 

Hot tip: Looking for a dependable and affordable pair of floral scissors? We love these from Amazon! 

Keep it Fresh

Bacteria is the primary cause of flowers dying faster than they should and it’s important to prune your flowers regularly. Different flowers have a different vase life, so some will begin to wilt faster than others. As certain blooms begin to deteriorate, remove them so they don’t impact the rest of the arrangement. Additionally, check each stem for stray foliage. Leaves submerged in water quickly grow bacteria, so clean stems will lead to happy flowers. 

Placement is Key

Have you ever noticed that your bouquet wilted a lot faster when it was placed next to a window or in direct sunlight? While flowers in the garden love the San Diego sunshine, our bouquets with cut flowers aren’t so happy. Find a cool, shaded place in your home away from warm appliances to display your arrangement and you’ll have a few extra days of beautiful blooms!

Flower Food…Necessary or Over the Top?

We’ve all unwrapped that grocery store bouquet only to realize the flower food wasn’t included and felt as though the arrangement was doomed. Fear not–while flower food can be helpful, it’s not as crucial as the industry may want you to think. Most packets include just 3 ingredients–citric acid to lower the water’s pH levels for peak absorption; sugar, to feed the flowers; and bleach, to fight bacteria. While many studies show that flower food can help your bouquet’s longevity, there are several other ways to achieve the same results. You can make your own flower food with basic kitchen supplies (we love this article, which includes recipes!) or simply be diligent in changing out the water. 

By adding these tips into your daily routine, your blooms will stay fresh and beautiful! Want some additional suggestions and recommendations? Join us for a workshop or shoot us an email!