Fresh Flower Care
Care and Handling
Most floral arrangements last between 4-7 days, depending on the type of flowers used and type of care they receive. Below are a few suggestions for longer-lasting, more vibrant flowers.
For Floral Arrangements
Keep the vase full of water or floral foam soaked with water (preferably water containing a flower preservative/food).
When watering an arrangement with foam, ensure you are watering inside the container that contains the floral foam. Some floral containers also have a plastic liner, if water is poured between the liner and the container, water may run to the bottom of the container and onto your furniture. This water can damage your furniture, to ensure that this does not occur, we suggest placing a plate under your floral arrangement to catch any water that may run off the container.
If the water becomes cloudy or murky, replace it entirely. We also highly recommend cleaning the vase with warm soapy water before filling with warm clean water and placing the flowers back in the vase. Re-cutting the stems approximately an inch with a sharp knife at this time is also recommended.
Keep flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), keep away from direct sunlight, heating and cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, in the path of drafts from opening doors or open windows, and do not display on top of televisions, refrigerators, radiators or other electrical appliances.
Loose Cut Flowers (paper wrapped, cello wrapped or boxed)
If you cannot get your flowers into water right away, keep them in a cool place.
Fill a clean vase with warm water and add the preservative/food provided by the florist. Follow the directions on the preservative package.
Remove all leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves sitting in the water will create bacteria growth and greatly shorten the life of your flowers.
Cut the stems with a sharp knife on a 45% angle. Do this underwater (this allows the stems to draw in water instead of air) then place each flower immediately after the fresh cut into a vase with warm water and preservative which you have prepared.
Indoor Garden/ Potted Plant
An Indoor Garden is a collection of live plants grown in a single container. With proper care, plants in the container will eventually grow large, allowing for a transplant into their own separate container. In time, a small Indoor Garden can grow into a collection of beautiful household tropical plants.
Indoor Garden plants do well in diffused light with moderately moist soil, with average home temperatures between 55 - 80°F (13 - 27°C). Be careful not to over water the plants - the containers do not allow for drainage. When in doubt, determine the need by simply feeling the soil; cool and moist soil indicates a proper amount of water. The rate of growth is also dependent upon the amount of light received; the less light received, the slower the rate of growth. However, be careful not to place the Indoor Garden in direct sunlight.
For healthier growth, a balanced fertilizer can be added to the soil on a monthly basis, (see fertilizer package instructions for appropriate mixing ratios). With proper fertilizing, the plants will remain lush and green. Tip: yellowing leaves are an indication of either a lack of nutrients or inappropriate watering (too much or not enough).