Flowers Design and Care
Thanks to Martha Stewart, consumer awareness of flowers has probably increased five-fold. Thanks to Martha Stewart, consumers have begun to purchase fresh flowers to take home and enjoy. A designer from Holland once made the observation that in Holland and Europe, many men take flowers home to their wives every weekend. It is just part of their lifestyle. But she noted that here in America, if a man takes flowers home to his wife, she wants to know what he’s been up to! Kind of sad isn’t it? Nonetheless, Americans are taking fresh flowers home more and more. So it might be good to know how to take care of those flowers to get the most out of them once you have gotten them home. It is also good to know the average life span of those flowers.
When purchasing fresh flowers, first check to see if there is any yellowing of the greenery on the stem. Yellowing would indicate an older flower. Look at the flower to see if it is still in a somewhat unopened state (for instance a rose but versus a completely opened rose) or completely blasted open. Roses are tricky in that some varieties with a higher petal count may appear to be more open than a bud and yet it is still in a ‘new’ or fresh state. If you are not familiar with the stages of a flower that you want to purchase, simply ask your florist how long they should be expected to last. It doesn’t do a florist any good to ‘fib’ about the freshness of a flower. If properly processed by the florist or you it doesn’t last at least 4 to 5 days, then the flowers were old! Once you have chosen your flowers, be sure that a packet of floral preservative or ‘food’ is included in your package. Growers use solutions to inhibit ethylene damage that is a gas that shortens the life of flowers. (It is especially strong in fruits) Wholesalers should then treat flowers with an antibacterial agent and floral opening agent that helps force water up a stem and causes it to begin to open. The little packet of preservative also contains a sugar base with a mild bacterial fighting agent. Bacteria in water shorten the life of the flower. Excessive greenery in the vase of water promotes the plugging of the stem keeping water from being absorbed and thusly shortens the life of the flower. “Bent neck syndrome” is most apparent in roses. When a rose does not get water to the top of the rose stem the head will droop. It has been established that a rose stem seals over (like a human scab over a wound) five second after being cut open. It will not hydrate. So the rose does not take up water and will not open. It has also been established that if a rose stem is cut under water the rose head will remain erect. If a rose has ‘gone down’ it can be floated in a tub of water for several hours and will perk back up.
Some rose varieties have been hybridized to maintain a closed bud look. But even it should not droop its head if it has been processed properly. In times past there was a debate over cutting flowers at an angle or not. The advantage is simply opening a wider intake area for the flower and it not setting flat at the bottom of a vase, which inhibits the intake area. A florist will maintain a cooler at anywhere from 34 to 36 degrees for storing fresh flowers. When at home, you probably don’t live in that temperature. But, as much as possible, the saying is ‘the cooler the better’ for flowers. If you don’t have a lot of veggies or fruit in your refrigerator (and they fit) you can place your flowers in the fridge each night and greatly extend the life of your flowers! It is best not to place bouquets on any appliances as they emit heat that is a deterrent to the life of your flowers. Also do not place your bouquet in the sun.
