Flower Care
It is very important that you care for your flowers in order to get the most enjoyment from them. Here are some handy tips to help you care for your beautiful blooms.
Care of Mixed Fresh Arrangements
Arrangements that arrive in floral foam (oasis) should be filled with fresh water to the top of the container. Arrangements that arrive in a vase should be filled to the top of the vase with clean, cool, fresh water. Water should be topped up daily.
Fresh cut flowers should not be displayed in direct sunlight or on top of electrical appliances as this can cause premature wilting. Rather keep your flowers away from extreme heat and cold for longer life.
Fresh Cut flowers can bloom for anything between 2 - 21 days, depending on the variety and how well you care for them
Care of Fresh Cut Roses Arranged
If you receive roses professionally arranged by the florist in a vase, first remove any wrapping, check the water level and fill the vase to the top with fresh water. Add enough water daily to bring the water level to the top of the vase. Do not display roses in the sun or on top of electrical appliances. If a rose should wilt prematurely you can try giving it a fresh diagonal cut and submerging the entire roses in water for a couple of hours.
If the roses are arranged in floral foam (oasis), keep the foam saturated with fresh water and the container filled to the top daily.
Care of Fresh Cut Roses Boxed or Wrapped
If you receive roses in a box or wrapped, you should immediately prepare a clean vase with fresh water and if provided, floral food. Fresh cut roses enjoy lots of water. The water level should be at least half way up the stem of the roses. Remove all foliage below the water line. Insert the greens in an intertwining pattern in the vase of fresh water. Cut each rose on an angle exposing as much inner stem as possible. Arrange the roses between the greens, add Babies Breath or other filler as provided with your rose delivery. Fresh roses will drink at least a quarter of the vase each day. Ideally, the water should be changed and filled to the top daily, if this is impractical at least top off the vase with fresh clean water daily. Fresh well cared for cut roses have a life expectancy from 7 - 14 days. Do not display roses in direct sunlight as his can cause wilting. Do not display roses on the top of appliances such as a television, microwave or stereo. Appliances generate heat that will shorten the life of your fresh cut roses. Avoid freezing and heat.
| Variety |
Life Expectancy* |
| Roses |
3-21 days |
| Carnations |
5-14 days |
| Daisies |
7-21 days |
| Iris |
1-4 days |
| Lilies |
2-7 days |
| Tulips |
2-5 days |
| Liatris |
5-14 days |
| Tropical Flowers |
7-21 days |
*Life expectancy of flowers also depends on how well you care for them.
How do I make my fresh flowers last longer?
Flowers brighten up our homes so easily when well cared for. They help remind us of our loved ones and the simple beauty of our natural surroundings. Flowers symbolically celebrate and commemorate life's passages and express an appreciation of our relationships, achievements and events. It is therefore very important for us to care for our flowers to get the most out of them� FLOWERS.co.za has put together these 4 simple steps for you to keep your bouquets blooming for longer:
- Always use a clean vase or container to hold your flowers.
- Remove all leaves which will be under water in the vase. Submerged leaves will rot and create bacteria, shortening the life of your bouquet.
- Recut the stem of each flower under water using a sharp knife or scissors. This prevents air pockets from forming inside the stems which block water uptake into the flowers. Recut the stems about every three days.
- Add floral food, obtained from your local florist, to the vase water. Use the recommended amount for the size of your bouquet. Change the water (and floral food) every three to four days.
