In a small country like New Zealand it takes no time at all for flowers to get from grower to florist so you can expect them to be nice and fresh. Here are eight ways you can keep them that way.

  1. Flowers love fresh water. Make sure your vase is clean and replace the water every few days. This stops bacteria from blocking the water vessels
  2. Cut the stems. As soon as a cut stem is exposed to the air it starts to close. Cut the stems under water if you can. If not, get them into water as soon as you snip. Use a sharp knife (scissors can squash the water vessels) and cut on an angle to create as much surface area for the flower to suck up the aqua. Repeat every few days.
  3. Strip all leaves below the waterline. Wet leaves breed bugs, as well as releasing phenols, chemicals that clog the stem, slow budding and wither the blooms.
  4. Spray with a cool mist. The beads of moisture look pretty too.
  5. Flowers are sensitive to a natural chemical called ethylene. Keep them away from fruit, fungus and rubbish. Because flowers themselves release ethylene they also need air circulation (but they don't like drafts).
  6. Some flowers such as lilies have prominent stamens (the central pollen-making stalk). Snipping these with scissors or your fingernails increases the flower's life, and avoids pollen stains.
  7. Many New Zealand florists use water additives. We can't tell you the secret Rocket Florist ingredient but we can tell you that a sprinkle of sugar will feed your flowers and a dash of bleach will kill the germs.
  8. The sap of daffodils and narcissi is poisonous to other flowers. Either display them separately or keep them in water on their own for at least 12 hours before mixing with other flowers.

 

Flower facts and florist resources from Rocket Florist.
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“Top tips from a top New Zealand florist.”