Buying flowers
to display at home is a routine that many households around
the UK do everyday. Some homes, blessed with good soil and
ample space for a garden, have flowers at their disposal limited
only by their garden size. But for others, the only option
of bringing these beautiful and colorful items to their homes
is through a flower shop or an online flower delivery service.
Unfortunately,
people often hesitate to buy fresh flowers because they think
they can't get them to last more than a couple of
days. Some flowers are short-lived, but most commercially grown
flowers will last at least a week if given the right treatment.
Commercially grown flowers are specially treated after cutting,
which means they will last longer than varieties cut from the
garden.
Conditioning is the term florists use to mean
getting the flowers ready for arranging. By following these
few simple
steps you
can get extra life and pleasure from your flowers. These
apply to both flowers bought in the shop and those coming straight
from your garden:
- Make sure vases are very clean.
- Use fresh lukewarm
water with commercial cut flower food added.
- Strip all leaves
below the water level.
- Take at least 3cm (1") off all
stems, making a slanted cut with a sharp knife or very
sharp scissors.
- Avoid direct sunlight, heat, or draughts that
can
shorten flowers' lives.
- Keep flowers away from fruit
and remove faded flowers as they occur.
- Top up the water regularly
and add flower food in proportion.
