| By :
Nadine Davis
Copyright (c) 2010 Nadine Davis When buying cut flowers, it's worth taking a little time to discuss their on-going care with the staff at Florist Brisbane. We all know that florists are experts at choosing the right types of combinations to make beautiful floral arrangements. We forget that they also have the knowledge to give advice on the right types of food for different types of flowers, and other simple hints to preserve their beauty and give pleasure to the household for days. Immediate attention: > Keep the flowers cool, especially if it is inconvenient to arrange them in a vase when they are first brought home. Remove all the packaging and place the flowers in a small amount of cold water. > Rinse the vase thoroughly in clean water. Although it may have been thoroughly cleaned after you used it last, the majority of homes are not free from dust and the habitation of dirt, mould or cleaning detergents will make the flowers die faster. Preparation for display: > While the stems are in the water, use a sharp knife or pair of scissors to make a diagonal cut across the base of the stems about 3cm from the end. A 45 degree cut creates a larger stem surface area and keeping the stems immersed prevents air from entering them. Both of these steps allow the flowers to take in more water. > Fill the vase with warm water to three-quarters full, and stir in the flower food that came with the bouquet. If there is no flower flood, crush two plain, uncoated aspirin and stir this in instead. > Remove any excess leaves from the stems that are under the waterline, as bacteria will grow in the water when the leaves die. Place the bouquet gently into the vase, arranging the items to suit. Care and attention: > Place the flowers in a position where they will have exposure to light, but not direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will make the flowers wilt and stimulate the speedy growth of bacteria in the water. A room temperature of 18 to 22 degrees Celsius is ideal. > Place them away from heat sources such as radiators, televisions, computers and some appliances. They should also not be placed in a draft or directly under a ceiling fan or air conditioning unit. > The flowers will age quickly if exposed to a gas called ethylene. Ripening fruit emits this gas, as does cigarette smoke. > Immediately remove leaves or petals that fall into the water, and change the water completely every second day. Every third or fourth day, the stems should be re-trimmed and the petals lightly sprayed with fresh water. These simple measures will preserve the beauty of Flowers well past a couple of days, and ensure that the money spent on them will continue to bring pleasure to the observer for as long as possible.
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