How to care for your flowers
So you’ve received a wonderful bunch of flowers from a florist in Newry? We answer your frequently asked questions on how to care for flowers. Leading Newry Florist, Therese’s Florist, shares advice on how to care for cut flowers, from choosing the right vase to tips on how to increase the overall vase life of your bouquet.
What is the best vase? Or how do I choose a vase?
Choose a vase that’s half the height of the flowers. If the bouquet is bottom-heavy, use a narrower vase, if the top is overpowering, use a wider one. Make sure that your vase is clean before use. Let the vase dry naturally, because if you use a towel or some other material, you can introduce bacteria which may cause your flowers to die off faster.
How much water do I add to a vase?
Fill the vase two-thirds with water – use lukewarm water as flowers can drink this more quickly. Avoid using hot or cold water, for delicate flowers than can come as a shock. Better still, allow the filled vase to sit for a while and adjust to room temperature. This will also allow any air bubbles escape. Flower food contains 2 main ingredients, sugar, and bleach. Sugar will feed the flowers and bleach will help prevent the growth of algae and bacteria. Algae has the potential to clog the stems, making it more difficult for the flower stems to absorb water. Therefore, the addition of flower food is a must.
Should I trim my flower stems?
Flower stems will immediately start to dry out soon after they have been picked from the soil. When you receive your flowers from us, they will be 100% fresh and hydrated but you should still cut about 2-3cm from the bottom of the stems at an angle. The increases their water intake because it stops the stems from resting against the bottom of the vase and give them a better surface area to absorb. You can also remove any leaf or other foliage that sits below the waterline as removing debris from the vase is also essential.