We’ve got a great range of fresh cut local flowers in-store at Zone Fresh but keeping cut flowers fresh, fragrant and vibrant requires a little care and preparation. Whether you’re dealing with a bouquet of hardy Australian natives, delicate seasonal bunches or a dozen red roses, there are a few golden rules that apply to all blooms to keep them thriving.
Start with the stems
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Not all stems are made alike, some flowers such as roses have a particular woody stem while other such as tulips have a much softer stem. As a rule of thumb the woodier the stem the thirstier the flower will tend to be. For the woody stem blooms (roses) we would recommend filling your vase 2/3 full, for softer stem blooms (tulips) we suggest a vase that is 1/3 full for best results.
Measure, cut and trim
Before placing your flowers in the vase it’s always a good idea to measure your bunch against the vase and cut flowers to size. This helps keep flowers even and minimises drooping as the days go by.
Once even, we also recommend cutting stems diagonally rather than flat across the bottom as this maximises the surface area that the flower can drink from, meaning better hydration. Finally, trim all extra foliage such as leaves that might be exposed below the waterline of your vase, this will reduce the risk of the water becoming rancid or cloudy due to excess plant matter and will also reduce the risk of bacteria developing.
Nourish & love
Although your flowers are severed from their roots you can still deliver nutrients to them that will help keep them fresh for longer. The easiest way to do this is to simply dissolve half a teaspoon of sugar into your vase water, while replacing the water every 2 to 3 days. In addition to this try adding a few drops of bleach or white spirits to your vase water, this will inhibit bacteria growth greatly increasing the longevity of your flowers. Our final piece of advice is to love your flowers, spend a little time initially spreading your beautiful blooms so that they are not crowding, squashing or crushing each other, keep them in ambient light away from direct sunlight and enjoy!
Bonus neat trick!
If you’ve recently bought or received roses, try holding the bunch upside down and spraying the underside of the blooms and leaves very lightly with hair spray. This will help to slow any break down and will keep them fresher for longer.
