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Thu Apr 04, 2024
You can't beat a fresh spring bouquet. Whether someone's gifted you a lovely bundle of blooms or you've treated yourself, you're going to want to keep that bouquet fresh – and we can tell you how!
Spring bouquets offer an almost instant mood boost. Fresh flowers in your home or office can really brighten things up, so it makes sense for you to want to keep them as long as possible.
But have you ever wondered how florists keep bouquets fresher for longer?
Fortunately for you, this post is dedicated to flower care tips from top florists to guide you!
Before getting into the nitty gritty, did you know that there is literal science behind how flowers improve your mood? According to a study by the Rutgers Department of Psychology, researchers discovered that:
“Flowers have immediate and long-term effects on emotional reactions, mood, social behaviors and even memory for both males and females.”
The study itself focused technically on people receiving bouquets, but still, who can argue against flowers being good for your spirit? We certainly can’t.
Before you arrange your bouquet, you’re going to want to make sure you’re using a clean vase that’s been filled at least three-quarters of the way full with lukewarm water.
Before you fill it, make sure that there aren’t any remnants of soapy residue, otherwise you can compromise the lifespan of the stems.
Most fresh spring bouquets come with a complimentary packet of plant food. Having said that, if yours didn’t or you’ve picked the stems from your own garden, it’s easy enough to DIY your own! All you need is 2 Tbsp of sugar mixed with 2 Tbsp of white vinegar to help maintain fresh blooms.
The sugar helps to nourish the flowers and promotes opening blooms, while the vinegar inhibits the growth of bacteria, helping to keep flowers fresh longer.
As soon as you get your flowers home, make sure to give the stems a quick trim. Generally, cut at least ¼” to ½”. A nice, fresh cut will help the stems absorb more water and ensure they stay hydrated.
However, when you do trim your stems – don’t trim them horizontally. Instead, cut them at a 45° angle. This increases the overall surface area and prevents the stems from sitting flush to the bottom of the vase, which can make it hard for them to get a proper drink of water.
You might assume it to be counterintuitive to remove leaves from your spring bouquet, but it’s actually essential to the health and longevity of your flowers.
Remove the foliage that falls below the water line to not only create a cleaner look, but it also helps prevent the buildup of bacteria. That buildup can also impact your vase’s shelf life, and we don’t want that.
If you want that classic professional look, use tape to section off the top of your vase in a nice grid pattern. Doing this will make maintaining your desired design for your arrangement easier.
Once flowers are cut, any direct source of heat or light can lead to premature browning and wilting. So, while the old concept of allowing your plants plenty of sunlight is generally sound, freshly cut flowers aren’t the same.
Water changes helps to flush the growth of bacteria in your case and ensures your stems always have access to fresh water.
Once you get into a good habit of swapping out water, it becomes easy, if not enjoyable, to keep going, because the payoff is worth it.
Keeping the stems trimmed and approximately two inches from the bottom of the vase at all times makes sure that they’re able to absorb as much water as possible, improving their hydration and shelf life.
Another great way to keep your spring bouquet fresh for its best days is to remove any stems that have begun to wilt. Removing spoiling flowers ensures you eliminate the potential for bacterial growth.
With mixed bouquets, some varieties of flowers will die sooner than others, so it’s better to remove dying stems.
Pro tip: daffodils are best kept separate from other flowers because they secret a substance that can kill other flowers. If you love these bright yellow stems, keep in mind they don’t play well with others!
Do you or your loved ones adore hand-cut bouquets? Consider signing up for Forest of Flower’s monthly hand-tied bouquet subscription! Prices start at $54.99. Stems featured are organic and sourced as locally as possible.
What to Do When Your Flowers are About to Expire – Preservation Tips
If you’ve found that the majority of your bouquet is wilting at once, there are a few options for you to consider. Firstly: you could just toss them. However, if you’re sentimental, you can repurpose the blooms, and our top tier florists at Forest of Flowers have the tips to preserve them.
Drying is the best option for keeping your precious blooms in their near-original shape. However, not all varieties are suitable for drying, so keep that in mind.
The best method for drying your spring bouquet is to hang it upside down in a cool, dry room. Any space that has too much humidity or direct light can disrupt the process.
Some of the best flowers for drying include:
Generally, bouquets tend to dry out in about three days, but on occasion can take a few weeks. You’ll notice the colour and texture change pretty dramatically in most stems, along with golden brown hues and crinkled textures on both petal and stem alike. This is the safest and the easiest way to keep an extra sentimental bouquet around for longer.
If you’re aiming to preserve smaller flowers, it may be easier for you to press them. It won’t work on all varieties and tends to be more useful if you’re working with smaller headed blooms with only a single layer of petals.
It isn’t suitable for fuller-headed flowers such as roses, as they’re difficult to flatten and tend to retain moisture, which can result in mold. To press your flowers, you’ll need to use a hard-covered book.
Flowers will be flattened and dried, making them a beautiful keepsake to tuck into a frame or photo album.
Not everyone has the patience for traditional pressing, but Forest of Flowers has an unconventional solution. Microwaving! It seems unusual but pressing flowers in a microwave can be a perfectly safe option for those who want to save time and resources. It’s pretty low-effort and takes roughly five minutes per flower.
This certainly works, but unfortunately, the results are not as consistent as traditional pressing. However, since all that’s required for this are some ceramic plates, a few coffee filters, and a microwave, it’s a suitable option if you’re short on time.
Plants Over Flowers
If you’re worried you don’t have the time or patience to maintain a bouquet or preserve one, you can always consider quality indoor flowering plants instead! They still require care, but last much longer than a freshly cut bouquet.
A study by the Journal of Physiological Anthropology discovered that plants in your home or office can make you feel more comfortable, soothed, and natural. Participants were given two tasks: repotting a houseplant of completing a short computer task. After completing the tasks, the researchers measured the biological factors associated with stress, such as heart rate and blood pressure. Isn’t that neat? As it were, repotting the plant lowered the stress response in the participants. Turns out working with plants comes with more benefits than you expected!
If you’re looking for a local trusted florist in your area to supply you with some beautiful blooms, you can trust the professionals at Forest of Flowers. From exotic flowers to customized spring bouquets, we have something to brighten up your day.
Hopefully, these tried and true, florist-approved tips will ensure whatever choose, your plants will prosper and you will reap the benefits of a nature-kissed space!
