Valentine’s Day this year, florist, 75% of people buy their lover flowers on February 14 this year.
Rose is the most popular gift. Whether it’s a bunch of roses, or any other flower, someone will be happy to accept a bunch of lovely people.
So how do we make full use of roses more durable?
Help is a good hand shop guide with a list of imperfect flowers with a drop of gin.
1. Get rid of the aqua pack
If your flowers have been delivered in a ‘bubble’ of water (what the trade call an aqua pack) take them out as soon as possible.
We know the packaging looks fab but a bubble is really only for delivery purposes.
It’s fine to leave them in the wrapping for up to 12 hours but after that you should transfer them to a vase.
A tip is to hold the bouquet over a sink and slice the wrapping at the bottom so the water pours out. If you tilt the bouquet like a jug you may get spillage.
2. Keep its shape
If it’s a hand-tied you should keep the string around the stems in place so the bouquet holds its shape.
If you want to make a couple of vases from your gift, snip the string carefully and arrange as required but always make sure that any part of the stem that will sit in the water is leaf-free as loose foliage will contaminate the water and decrease flower life.
3. Feed it properly
Mix the flower food that comes with most delivered flowers with the right amount of water.
The mix is important to make sure the flowers get the right amount of nutrients.
If there wasn’t any flower food, then only use plain water, it’s an old wives’ tale that aspirin, lemonade or gin will help and a modern men’s tale that Viagra is the solution.
They all have a purpose, just not with flowers!
4. Snip off the stem
Cut about 2 – 5 cm short stems, and use a sharp knife or scissors at the bottom of the position at an oblique 45 degree angle.
We can get all the technology on the xylem vessels, microbes and blood vessels received but basically more widely cut, the better water.
Avoid weakening the stems, which causes a lot of damage and stops the water to cause premature withering.
It’s kind of like hammering your fingers with a hammer or having a paper-cut – the pain hell but the papermaking heal faster.
