Looking after your flowers
You've received a gorgeous bunch of flowers (from us of course) and naturally you want them to last. Follow these tips to get the most out of your cut flowers.
1. Vase
The vase is a vessel (read container) that is normally used to house flowers. You can use Beer bottles, tin cans, gumboots, or even buckets if need be, but ideally a decent glass or porcelain vase goes a long way.
Make sure the vase you are using is clean. Scrub it out with a little detergent, or if you can a little bleach in water. It is not a good idea to leave either the detergent or bleach in the vase after cleaning so wash the thing out after this.
And no Evan from Hobart (from our Feedback form) it is not recommended to use Hydrochloric Acid to clean the vase, or in fact for many things around the house. Keep it for the pool. Oh wait... it’s too bloody cold down there for a pool.
2. Adding Water and Nutrients
Once the vase is clean you should add clean water and the flower food provided with your flowers. Follow the instructions carefully. Should this run out, the water will have to do, or tottle on down to our nearest florist and ask for some flower food. Make sure you don’t get plant or baby food, as that is quite different.
3. Preparing your arrangement
Remove the flowers from the paper and either remove the tie or rubber band completely or move it up away from the end of your flowers.
Remove all leaves that will be immersed in water.
Using a very sharp knife recut the flower stems by removing 1-2cm off each end and place in your prepared vase immediately.
Add some salt and pepper and simmer for 2 hours until reduced then serve with a balsamic vinegar and mashed potato. Oops sorry wrong page. Skip this last step it won’t help the flowers.
4. Positioning your Flowers
Display your flowers away from direct sunlight, draughts or heaters. Flowers are best displayed in a cool position, but make sure you can see and enjoy them, and show them off to your visitors!
The best place is in the fridge, so perhaps move your fridge near the front door, and as guests arrive you can theatrically open the fridge door as a welcoming movement and display your flowers to them. It is probably a good idea to throw out the mouldy cheese and the open can of dog food as this tends to put people off coming over for dinner.
5. Checking your Flowers
You need to top up the vase with fresh water daily.
Every second or third day you should change the water completely with new water and nutrients if you have more.
Obviously, if the water looks like a rich dark colour you may have found oil, but it is extremely unlikely. It is also pretty safe advice that if the flowers have drooped so much their brown husks are touching the bottom of the outside of the vase they are dead. It is safe to remove them now and throw them out.
