Caring for your flowers
There are 4 basic factors that affect the vase life of flowers
- Ability to take up water
- Quality
of water
- Exposure
to ethylene
- Temperature
-
Water
Uptake – when
stems
are
cut, tiny
air
bubbles
rise
up the
xylem
vessels,
causing
blockages
and obstruct
the
uptake
of
water. Any
flower
out
of
water for
15mins
or
more must
be
recut and
returned
to
the
water immediately,
it
is best
to
recut
the
stems below
the
water,
this
is the
most
effective
way to
revive
flowers that
have
wilted.
Never
bash stems,
always
cut
the stems
at
a sharp
angle using
a
knife
if possible,
or
very
sharp
scissors
-
Quality of Water – water travels to the flower
by means
of xylem vessels. Microbes and soil particles can impede
this
water movement, microscopic bacteria and fungi including
Botrytis,
can be present in the cleanest looking water, and water
must
be changed as often as possible. A small amount of Chlorine
is effective in killing fungi and bacteria
in vases.
-
Ethylene Gas – Ethylene is a natural odourless
plant hormone, a gaseous growth regulator that is produced
by damaged or dying
flowers/foliage and ripening fruit. Ethylene accelerates
the aging process of flowers.
-
Temperature – Draughts cause excessive moisture
loss, but are not as harmful as overheating. Keep your flowers
away
from
direct sunlight, radiators and open fires.
Your
Flowers
Place
the flowers immediately in clean water, mixed in the flower
food. Make sure there are no leaves sitting below the water
line, as
not only will they rot and release harmful bacteria, which
kills flowers, but they'll consume vast amounts of the nutrients
in
the flower food which need to get up the stem to the flower
head.
To
maintain the look of your flowers, repeat the process two
or three days later, removing any wilting or dead flower
heads
so that the water supply is sent to the flowers still blooming
or, in the case of
multi-headed varieties, still to open.
If
you
receive
an
arrangement,
it
will
have
been
made
in
a water retaining foam. This will need topping
up
every
couple
of
days.
Simply
dribble water
into the centre of the design or at the back, to
keep
the
foam wet.
To care for indoor plants a simple top-up every
three/four days is sufficient. However if there are cyclamen or succulents
in the design
make
sure you water below the crown (the leaves), as
otherwise the plant will rot. Most plants need a regular spray as well.
They absorb
moisture through their
leaves so lightly mist once a week, especially
if you have a centrally heated home.
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