TOP TIPS FOR CUT FLOWERS
Magnolia The Florist based in the heart of Kettering are passionate about all things flowers, latest trends and modern techniques. Full of valuable knowledge, we want to share as much of that with you so you can always get the very best from your flowers. Dean, founder of Magnolia the Florist gives some of his favourite cut flower tips – perfect for when you receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers but not quite sure how best to look after them!
Flower tip 1 - Remove the packaging
If your fresh flowers were delivered in cellophane or wrapped in paper, carefully remove all packaging with scissors. If you want to retain the design shape, you can keep the string tied round the stems or for a looser, relaxed look you can carefully remove the string.
Flower tip 2 - Plenty of food
Find a clean vase or container and fill with fresh, cold tap water. Add the flower food that arrived with your flowers to the fresh water - your local florist would have provided the flower food sachet to help keep your blooms happy and healthy for longer.
Flower tip 3 – Cut it right
Take each stem and ‘strip’ all the leaves that will sit below the water line – this helps stop the water rotting in the vase. Then carefully snip 2-5cm off the bottom of the stem at a 45 degree angle, which gives the stem the largest surface are to absorb water.
Flower tip 4 - Display in the right place
Keep your beautiful flowers away from the extremities of your home to help keep the looking lovely for longer; away from chilly drafts, out of direct sunlight, not next to a hot radiator and not next to ripening fruit (fruit releases a gas as it ripens, which can cause nearby flowers to wilt quickly!)
Flower tip 5 - A little TLC
After a few days do a maintenance check on your flowers; top up the water level if its running low, if the water is cloudy change it for fresh tap water and remove any dead or wilting leaves and stems. This will help remove any bad bacteria that may cause your lovely fresh flowers to deteriorate quicker than expected.