Tips On Caring For Your Valentines Day Flowers – Recreation
Tips On Caring For Your Valentines Day Flowers
Gerry Belvedere
With Valentines Day just around the corner, we thought this would be a great time to share a few tips on caring for cut flowers.
Imagine its Valentines Day and youve just received a glorious bunch of roses. You put them in your best vase and you stand back to admire them. Youd love to make them last as long as you possibly can, but other than keeping them out of direct sunlight, youre not sure what to do.
Here are some tips on how to extend the shelf life of your roses:
Remove the roses from the vase and put them in a temporary container.
Clean the vase by washing it thoroughly in water with household bleach.
Fill the vase with fresh water and add a half teaspoon of household bleach for each litre 16 fluid ounces of water.
Remove your roses from their temporary container and lay them flat on a counter top.
Remove any leaves which will show below the waterline in the vase.
Cut about 20 mm 3/4 inch from the base of each stem immediately before placing it in the vase. This removes any air bubbles.
Dont place roses in drafts or direct sunlight, or near fruit, heaters, TVs or refrigerators.
Change the water daily to extend the vase life of your roses.
Freshly picked roses can last up to two weeks with a little extra care.
Enjoy!
About The Author
© Gerry Belvedere
Gerry Belvedere is a former artist who now runs her own online florist service at http://www.rosaflora-flowers.com. Rosaflora delivers flowers Australia wide and overseas and offers tips on getting the most out of your cut flowers.
How To Check If Cut Flowers Are Fresh – Recreation
How To Check If Cut Flowers Are Fresh
Gerry Belvedere
Fresh flowers should feel crisp or firm. Before you buy, run your hand under the flower heads from stem to petal tip. Proceed gently under the petals so as not to bruise them.
If the flower vendor objects, give them a withering look and enquire in a loud voice, "Are these flowers fresh"
If the flowers feel soft, cool or damp, dont buy them.
Keep testing the other bunches until you find a good one. Often there are only one or two bunches older than the others. Look and listen. Really fresh flowers will make a soft rustling sound as you stroke them.
As flowers age:
the foliage will start to yellow from the bottom upwards
the stems will discolor from the bottom up as bacteria spreads from the cut
seeds or pollen on the flower head will open and shed spores
the petals will fade in colour, lose moisture, dehydrate and eventually collapse
Remember:
Change the water daily, recut the stems often and enjoy your flowers longer.
About The Author
© Gerry Belvedere
Gerry Belvedere is a former artist who now runs her own online florist service at http://www.rosaflora-flowers.com. Rosaflora delivers flowers Australia wide and overseas and offers tips on getting the most out of your cut flowers.
Seeding Flowers Indoors: An Inexpensive Way to a Beautiful Summer Garden – Home
Seeding Flowers Indoors: An Inexpensive Way to a Beautiful Summer Garden
Debbie Rodgers
Every year you plan that THIS will be the year you have pots and pots of lush plants on your balcony or deck. Then you visit your local nursery in the spring and reality hits -