creative blossoms

Tips for caring for fresh flowers:

• Keep the vase filled with water and flower food.
• If the water becomes cloudy, replace it entirely with more water and plant food.
• If possible, re-cut the flower stems on a slant by removing one to two inches with scissors or pruning shears.
• Remove any leaves that will be below the waterline. They tend to promote bacterial growth, causing the flowers to wilt quickly.
• Use warm water when adding water to the vase or refilling it.
• Keep fresh flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), away from direct sunlight.
• Avoid placing your flowers near heating or cooling vents, areas directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators.
• Appliances such as televisions and radiators give off heat, causing the fresh cut flowers to quickly dehydrate.
  

Tips for caring for fresh flowers boxed or in loose wrapped bunches:

• If you can’t get your fresh cut flowers into a water and flower food solution right away, keep them in a cool place.
• Fill a clean, deep vase with water and add the flower food, following the directions on the package.
• Re-cut flower stems with a sharp knife. Do this underwater, in warm water. This allows the stems to draw in water instead of air.
• Then place the fresh flowers in the vase solution you’ve prepared.
• When using woody stems and branches (such as forsythia, quince or lilac), cut the flower stem with sharp pruning shears.