How To Care for Your Flowers

Show Love to Roses

Believe it or not roses need a lot of love as do people. If you receive an arrangement of roses, which are prearranged in a vase the best placement is in your home or office away from the sun light at a cool temperature between 34 and 65 degrees. 

  

Change the water daily by carefully dumping out or removing the water from its vase. Add fresh water up to the rim of vase. The temperature of the water ought to be cold by touch. 

  

If you are bold enough and want to maximize the life of your roses you ought to cut the bottom of the stems with a sharp knife (preferably a sharp pocketknife or a designer floral knife).  When cutting the bottoms of your stems, make sure your cuts are angular not flat.  In other words, give the stem a slant cut.  This is because it makes it easier for the roses to drink the water.  I know it might sound a little bazar but take it from an expert; the roses will appreciate a slant cut.  One may use a sharp clipper as an alternative to a sharp knife.  Make sure your clips are done quickly and with slant cuts.  When using clippers do not cut slowly and make sure the clippers are sharp and made well. 

  

You may add a flower solution such as Floral Life to prolong the life of your roses. You may ask any florist to give you a free sample of the powder or solution. Usually, the free sample is only good enough for one or two uses. 

  

If you receive individual roses that are not arranged, the procedure is the same.  If you receive very tight buds, you may raise the temperature of your water a little so that your buds will open a little better or faster. 
Never place roses or other types of flowers in hot water or in direct sunlight where there is a lot of heat. 

 

 

 

Show Love to Other Types of Flowers

At this point, I hope I conveyed that all flowers need love. In general, other types of flowers can be treated like roses with a few exceptions. Other types of flowers do not have to be recut with a slant cut as do roses.  It is still a good idea to cut the bottoms of your stems as often as once per 3 days or so.  You should use a flower clipper or pruner clipper to do it.  Do not use a wire cutter.  As a last resort, you can use some scissors. 

  

If your flowers have been prearranged in a vase or container, it is okay not to cut the stems of the flowers.  Just dump the water carefully out of the container and add fresh cold water, or fresh water between 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.   Changing the water daily or every 2 or 3 days will keep the water from collecting bacteria and your flowers will last longer, and one may appreciate them more. 

  

If there are leaves towards the bottom of the stems, you may trim them away by hand so that the flowers may drink the water better. 

  

Then there are tropical flowers. Tropical flowers such as Ginger and Protea must be stored or placed in a warmer room with higher humidity than other flowers. The ideal temperature is between 75 to 85 degrees. With Tropicals you may place them with simi direct light. 

  

The final type of flower or plant are cactuses. Cactuses do not require so much attention. They can be placed in direct sunlight with very little water.  They do thrive in sunlight so make sure they do receive that.  The ideal temperature is 80 to 110 degrees.  They can be left at cooler temperatures too.