How To Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

If you want to make your investment in the flowers you purchase at your local florist or any other location last then there are some things that you must do to ensure that they last.

A main cause of deterioration in flower vases is bacteria. Make sure your vase is clean and your water is pure, plus replace your water after 2-3 days. If any of the leaves lower down the stem are submerged under water, cut them off to prevent the spread of bacteria. Also, using floral food provided by your florist should kill harmful bugs and dirt.

The first thing that you want to do is cut off excessive leaves and greenery which will just suck up the water and nutrients that you want to go to your flowers. Next, cut the bottom of the stems on an angle to open the flowers up to receive the water and nutrients. As you place them in the vase you will want to criss-cross the stems to allow the flowers to be arranged more easily and present a fuller look.

For a taller floral arrangement you will want to use a slimmer and taller vase to make your flowers look better proportioned and last longer. Tulips and Gladiolas are a couple of types of flowers that work well in this type of situation. A tall arrangement really stands out and makes an impression.

Another trick that helps to make your floral arrangement look more natural is to cut the stems of the flowers at different heights. Doing this will allow your arrangement to mimic the look of a natural garden. Also use odd numbers of flowers, such as using 3 roses together or 5. Even numbers just don't work as effectively. If you use 5 roses for example, Place 3 together cut at different lengths near the bottom center of the vase and then two higher up.

Never place your flowers in bright or overheated areas in your home. This breeds bacteria and causes an excess water loss. Use a vase that is in proportion to the size and amount of flowers that you have ordered. This could create even more water loss that you are not aware of.

You can't go wrong with flowers as a gift but by following the tips above, the flowers will last longer. Be sure to teach the person you are giving the flowers to the tips so that your gift will be appreciated and enjoyed much longer.


About The Author
This article is written by Gregg Hall and edited by Sophia from Streetdirectory Malaysia. Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida.

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How To Increase The Life Span of Your Flowers

Many people buy their fresh cut flowers at florists, but there are others that cut them from their own garden. Flowers come in many shapes and colors, this way you have many choices to choose from to make the arrangement you want. Once the flower is cut, the life expectancy is not very long but you can use tricks like aspirin in the water to keep them living as long as possible.

• A cut flower is one that has been cut at the stem and placed in a vase of water. Cut flowers are grown from both annual and perennial plants. Do not place your fresh cut flowers in front of heaters as well as electrical devices such as TVs or computers. Cut flower will stay fresher and look vibrant if you keep them out of drafts and direct sunlight.
  
  
• Dropping a penny in a vase will decrease the lifespan of flowers. Cut flowers in a vase are the perfect decoration for your home; they bring a waft of fresh air in the room and make people happier. Bacteria are the main cause of deterioration of flowers. Make sure that your water and vase are clean before use. Adding the proper plant food to your arrangement will keep your bouquet healthy. If you add warm water to your bouquet the flowers will open faster.
  
  
• An air bubble in the stem would prevent the flower from getting water and nutrients. Also make sure that only the flowers stem is under water. Always replace your water after 2-3 days. When you place the flowers in water and the leaves are submerged in the water, bacteria might form on the leaves that are under the water so cut them off. You want to cut them at an angle to give them more surface area to absorb nutrients through. Cutting them under water is important because it prevents air from getting into the veins in the stem of your flower.
  

Certain flowers need special care. Flowers last longer when you trim the stem on an angle; this allows the water to flow up thru the stem. Flowers that have woody stems will last longer if you crush the stem and split it for all the water to flow easily thru the stem. If you are making an arrangement and you do not want the stems to show, place them in a criss cross pattern so the end of the stems are in the middle. A few extra stems will allow you to add special touches.

The colors of tulips typically follow the color trends that are generally popular. Decide what kinds of flower go with the kind of party you're going to throw. Roses are one of the romantic flowers, tulips are known as elegant flowers, sunflowers and daisies are known as free and whimsical while carnations are especially known as being the casual flower. One of the more popular flowers are tulips, they are easy to grow and they don't need much care, and when you cut them and put them in water they look great, this is what makes them so popular.

About The Author
This article is written by Doug Mahopac and edited by Sophia from Streetdirectory Malaysia.

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The Secret To Caring For Your Flowers

Knowing some of a florist's secrets for flower care is the best means of ensuring a prolonged life for a healthy bouquet of flowers. The first thing to know about floral care is immediate care. You can compare a florist to a doctor in a maternity ward, checking that the newly arrived bundle is in good health and will stay that way. As soon as a floral shipment arrives, the florist gets to work, as immediate care is necessary for living plants.

As our world is becoming considerably more ecologically conscious, many florists use natural methods of prolonging the life of plants, which often turn out to be less expensive methods. If you are ecologically conscious, you may prefer knowing some natural tips for floral care. There are some secrets not widely known which offer great protection and life extension to your flowers, as well as some widely known old-wives tale type of tips, which often do have merit to them. Uncovering these secrets of the trade will simplify floral care and leave your flowers looking better for longer.

From the moment cut flowers are in your possession, you must take measures to care for them. Time is of the essence in these moments of primary care. Immediately place the flowers to soak in a bowl while you get yourself ready: find the appropriate vase, have the plant food at hand, find a strong pair of shears or a sharp knife, and room temperature water (on the cooler, rather than warmer, side).

Fill the vase, and add whatever plant food/anti-bacterial product you plan to use. Turn on the tap, and placing each stem under the running water, cut about an inch and a half off of each flower. It is important to keep the flower under a constant stream of water, as this will avoid air bubbles from forming, which temporarily cut off the water supply to the flower. Use either a knife or very sharp shears to cut the stems. It is a terrible mistake to cut with scissors as it will end up flattening the stem without cutting it. This will also damage the water supply from stem to flower.

When cutting, cut at an angle, as that makes greater surface area for the water to enter the stem. Cut off any leaves that will be under water, as left on the stems, they will begin to rot and promote bacterial growth. Keep your flowers out of direct sunlight and heat, and change the water often. These initial steps will ensure a healthy bouquet.

For those seeking natural means of protecting and caring for flowers, the only thing to avoid from the above-mentioned description of flower care will be the plant food and anti-bacterial preservative to keep the plants healthy. There are many natural formulas for those preferring to avoid the chemicals found in plant food. Water is the essential element for all of life to survive. So, ensuring that your plant gets the best water for it will ensure a longer life.

Soft, acidic water is best for flowers, as it optimizes the flowers' veins bringing up water to the rest of the plant. When you change the water daily, trim off a bit more of the stem to cut off any bacteria that may be living at the stem entrance, as well as reopen the stem's vein. Use a vase that allows room for the flowers. When flowers are packed together tightly, they have less air, and more chances of rotting. White sugar is really all that plants need for food, and can substitute plant food.

Old wives tales often turn out to be valuable natural care methods, so read on to learn about these. As silly as some old wives tales seem, this folklore often has a scientific basis, and should never be discarded off the bat. Instead of using the chemicals of plant food, throwing a copper penny into the vase really will help your plants, as copper is a natural fungicide which prevents the growth of yeast and fungus.

Acidic water is healthy for flowers, as it helps keep levels of bacteria in water low. While throwing an aspirin into the vase won't bring down a fever, it will help kill bacteria, as aspirin is acidic. Lemon juice or vinegar, with their strong acidity, works as well.

To finish up, let's divulge some little known secrets of the florists! Always keep your bouquets away from sources of electricity, as the waves emitted will dehydrate flowers. If you notice that your flowers are already dehydrated and weakening, there is a "miracle cure" hot water treatment. Wrap the ends of the stems in a newspaper, secured by a rubber band, and immerse into boiling water for about 20 seconds, followed immediately by immersion in cold water. This is known to bring life back to flowers by stimulating water absorption.

Another great tip that helps prevent wilting is to keep your flowers refrigerated (in water) for a few hours before displaying them. For instance, imagine flowers for weddings – it's often impossible to prepare the flowers the day of the wedding. So florists prepare them a day in advance, and keep them in a large fridge overnight.

Florists follow these time tested tips, and as a result, they show off beautiful, healthy flowers. You don't need to be a florist to show off your own beautiful flowers! Taking care of a bouquet can extend its life by as much as a few weeks, and the effort needed to achieve this is quite minimal. Remember that the most decisive moments of your flowers lifespan are the moments the flowers are first in your possession. Take good care upon receiving them, and they will thrive. In caring for them, many natural methods are just as useful as plant food and preservative, so they are worth looking into.

Lastly, don't ignore the folklore surrounding flower care, as it holds much wisdom and does improve a bouquet's health. As with all things natural and living, it is often the simplest things which are needed to stay healthy and strong. So keep your flowers watered and fed, and you'll have a healthy bouquet which will age beautifully!

About The Author
edited by Sophia from Streetdirectory Malaysia.

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