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Great Tips on Caring for Flowers
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Everyone of us love receiving flowers whether fresh flowers or silk flower. One of the attractions of flowers is their fleeting beauty that makes them great gifts. They are also a great way to bring warmth, joy and happiness. The only problem about fresh flowers is that they never seem to last and we usually want the blooms to last as long as possible.
What many flower lovers don’t know is that there a few things you can do to insure that your floral arrangement, flower bouquet or even wedding flowers and wedding flower bouquet enjoy a long and beautiful life. With proper flower care, you can help the flowers retain their fresh looks for a long time.
Make certain that your water and vase for the floral arrangement are clean before use. It is advised that you clean your vases using hydrogen peroxide. The vase should also be in proportion to the size and amount of flowers you will be using for the flower arrangement.
Once the stems of flowers have been cut, you have removed their life support system, so the flowers should be placed in the container with water as soon as possible. You should use lukewarm water in your vase because lukewarm water has lower oxygen levels that will help the stem to intake water and will in turn prompt the flowers to open faster. There is also a need to use a flower preservative or floral food in the water because it helps develop the buds to open and it could kill harmful bugs and dirt.
Use a sharp knife or cutter in cutting the stems; scissors can crush the ends of the stems. You should cut the stems off at an angle about 3cm from the bottom underwater. Cutting at an angle opens up the stem and it provides a greater surface area flower can take on water. It also prevents the stem from becoming sealed against the bottom of the vase. An air bubble that gets into the veins in the stem of the flower would prevent it from getting water and nutrients; to prevent this, there is a need to cut the stems underwater.
The flowers only drink through the ends of the stems and not through the sides of the stems. For this reason, the vase or any container should not be filled right up to the top with water. Similarly, the foliage below the water line should be removed, as foliage left on stems below the water line will rot and pollute the water. Furthermore, flowers shouldn’t be crowded together in a container, as too many flowers crowded together may cause the petals to become squashed and bruised.
Avoid putting the flowers in direct sunlight, over television sets, radiators or any other heat producing objects that will rob the flowers off its moisture. Also, remove dead leaves promptly to keep them from contaminating the water. The water should be changed at least every other day, every day if possible and it is also a good idea to re-cut the flower stems but remember to once again cut them at an angle and under water.
The next time you buy flowers for your home in your local flower shop or online flower delivery services or receive flowers from someone, always take a couple of minutes a day to care for them to easily double or even triple the life of your flowers. You can also visit the florist in your area and local flower shops so that you’ll be provided will additional information on how to care for the specific flower type.
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