Hygiene seems to be the buzz word these days. Sleep hygiene is a big one and having a bedtime routine all contribute to a good night's sleep. Did you know there's cut flower hygiene too?
The flowers are beyond beautiful right now. This arrangement is from Northside Cafe on Princess Street. We're thrilled that they love local flowers enough to have them on their tables....fresh ones each week.
Whether our flowers are in a restaurant or in your home, we want you to enjoy them as long as possible. In flower talk this is called vase life.
Wondering what to do with your flowers once you get them home? There are some simple foundational things that make a BIG difference when it comes to the life and vibrancy of your flowers.
Here are some flower hygiene tips in order to get the best vase life from your flowers.
Give your stems a fresh snip
From the moment the stem is cut, less than 10 seconds and the cells in the stem of the flower start sealing up. It does this to protect itself against infections and drying out by sealing it. As soon as the stem seals up, no water is able to travel up the stem to hydrate the flower which then causes it to wilt or die prematurely. So re-cutting the stems can give your flowers a hydration boost.
Clean Vessel
Always start with a clean vessel and change the water frequently. The vase should be so clean you'd be willing to drink from it.
Just stems in the water
Remove all foliage - only the stem of the flower is in the water - no leaves. They create bacteria in the water which clogs the stem pores.
No Bright Sunny Windows
The flowers have been cut....they do not need the sunlight. If fact, they'd prefer a cool darkish spot away from hot sunny windows.
Floral Preservatives
As an organic grower we do not use any floral preservatives on our farm but we have been testing some different household things that can make a difference to the vase life of flowers, especially zinnias. Zinnias are incredible flowers but they don't have a long vase life. Adding a drop of bleach (like a 1/4 of a teaspoon) to the water helps kill the bacteria - which is the reason why the flower doesn't last - clogged stems.
I've had good luck with this solution too...
1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and
a drop of bleach
1 quart of water - tepid (at least warm enough so it can dissolve the sugar)