Even if we pick out the best looking floral arrangement from the local organic market, if we don’t know how to care for fresh cut flowers, then it’s a waste of time and money. Of course, the best part about going to the grocery store these days is cruising the fresh flower section. But, have you noticed how limited those options are these days? When it comes to interior decorating, buying fresh flowers can make a huge difference in any room. They automatically wake up the senses and are beautiful to look at for those of us who are obsessed with creating the perfect ambiance. This is what motivates Enjoy Flowers to deliver the most beautiful, yet simple bouquets of fresh cut flowers from the tropical terrains of Colombia each and every month. Each delivery is a gift to yourself that you can set on auto pay, know exactly how to care for your present, and never have to think about running to the market all the way across town to prepare for that brunch party you volunteered your home for last week.
Enjoy Flowers sources each delivery from the top flower growers in Colombia, bringing the stems right to your door fewer days after cutting. It is important that each bouquet is set up in the right way to flourish and to avoid wilting within the guaranteed seven day warranty. Compared to the 7-10 days of an average supermarket or florist bouquet, your Enjoy Flower delivery gives you a week or more of extra life in your flowers at home to enjoy with our simple steps on how to care for your fresh cut flowers.
Step 1: Unpack your Bouquet:
Each delivery is a gift to yourself. It is casual luxury that uplifts and maintains your physical and mental sanity so carefully remove all protective wrapping.
Step 2: Prep Your Fresh Cut Flowers For Decor
Prep your fresh cut flowers for your best ceramic or glass vases. Not every floral arrangement has to be placed in a traditional hourglass vase. “Eiffel tower” type or cylinder-shaped vases only hold 1 or 2 long stem flowers are the new way to arrange and showcase minimalistic inspired floral designs. Strategizing on how creative you want to be with your Enjoy Flowers delivery will save you from ruining your delivery. This step is where you can figure out how many stems were sent to you and how many vases you want to use throughout your living space. You can receive anywhere from 18 to more than 50 stems per delivery based on your personal order preferences. After you sort out the type of vase and the location of your flowers, add fresh cold water to the winning vase, followed by the flower food included in the “Vase Ready Bouquet” or Farm Selection” collection.
Step 3: Cut The Stems
Now that you have picked out the perfect vases and locations for your monthly delivery, it’s time to cut the stems to match your creative direction. Pro tip: Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle, one inch from the end of the stem, or to the length you need for your vase. Grab your largest salad bowl and fill it with water. Place the fresh cut stems in this bowl to keep flowers hydrated. Use a pair of sharp gardening scissors that are heavy because some stems may be harder than other plant species. By cutting the stems on an angle helps the flowers to open up the lungs of the plants, allowing more water to flow freely.
For Vase Ready Bouquets, you should prepare to cut the stems based on the type of vase they will be occupying as mentioned in Step 2. With any bunch of freshly cut flowers, each stem requires some tender, love and care. This is the perfect time to relax, hit play on your favorite music album, and take in all the wonderful smells.
Step 4: Get Rid Of The Access Leaves
Enjoy Flowers offers Vase Ready Bouquets or flowers you can arrange yourself, however with any delivery you will have to remove the excess leaves. Just like you, flowers need breathing space once they are cut from the ground. Remove any leaves that may end up below the water line. Leaves in the water will attract bacteria, which shortens the lifespan of your flowers. This is what makes the water turn colors and gives off an odor that is not in favor of your flowers. Therefore, this step is probably the most visible step you can do to care for your Enjoy Flowers delivery. If you have chosen a Vase Ready Bouquet and you love how they are arranged, you can simply place them in the vase you prepared earlier.
Step 5: Weekly Flower Maintenance
Cut the stems every week and add about ½ cup of fresh water to your vase as you see fit. Flowers in more sunlight may need more water than flowers that are exposed to less sunlight. However, as a rule of thumb, keep them at a cool temperature and away from direct sunlight to prevent wilting. After you master the above, the hardest part is dividing and conquering in the stylish effort of filling your prettiest vases from your home collection.
The above are just simple steps for you to remember what to do when your Fresh Cut flowers arrive at your doorstep. Once they arrive, the fun part is learning how to care and maintain the different types of flowers you will be receiving on a monthly basis.
Here are some simple maintenance tips for some of the most popular flowers.
Maintenance By Flower Type:
How to Care for Fresh Cut Peonies
Peonies can bloom in the spring and summer, and it is important to remove all the leaves from their stems to prolong their lifespan in a vase. For this reason, peonies require a full change of water every week (or every few days) to preserve their blooms. It’s also good to note that while they are consumers of H2O, they also flourish under direct sunlight. Peonies make great centerpieces or they may be perfect for lighting up a bare window sill.
Caring for Cut Roses
Roses are beautifully shaped flowers that everyone receives at least once in a full moon. Technically, rose stems should be trimmed under water to prevent air from entering the bottom of the stems. Examine each stem for battered leaves by picking off leaves from the bottom up. It is necessary to leave a few leaves surrounding the rosebud for support. Keep trimming the stems and changing the water every few days to assist the roses with getting proper intake of water.
How to Care for Hydrangeas
Nothing says summer than a few hydrangeas gorgeously occupying your home space. Unlike roses, remove all the leaves from your Hydrangea stems. Their leaves are big water drinkers and will instantly begin to wilt the flowers if their thirst isn’t quenched consistently. And believe it or not, because these flowers are super high maintenance, each stem must be dipped in boiling hot water before going into a vase of room temperature water. This steaming process helps clear the stems vows to provide more effective water intake. After the spa treatment is completed, hydrangeas just require a change of water every other day.
Caring for Daisies in a Vase
Daisies are the least high maintenance plant that will probably give you the most shelf-life. They follow the “set it and forget it” model and even when they don’t have water, they seem to find beauty on their own. They are pollinated in a variety of pretty colors and are great for any occasion, including saying “sorry” or “I love you.” Fill your vase of choice halfway with cold water, cut the stems and the leaves accordingly, and enjoy the sight.
Caring For Alstroemerias :
Also known as the “peruvian lily” or “lily of the incas,” these beautiful red plants will be featured frequently in your Enjoy Flowers monthly deliveries. They bloom under cooler temperatures so they make a great choice for rooms that don’t get much sunlight. They also require changing fresh water with flower food powder at least twice a well. Pro tip: the leaves will start to wilt and turn yellow before the plant reaches full bloom, so it’s important to keep changing the water as you see fit.
Caring for Lilies:
Lilies are by far the most flagrant flowers in a bouquet and they instantly make their presence known in a room whether in cold or warm environments. That’s why everyone likes lilies, they are super easy to maintain and don’t require much sunlight to thrive. What sets Lilies apart from the rest of traditional flowers is that you have to remove each flower’s antlers (the extra stems in the middle of the flower head) so that pollen doesn’t get everywhere. The pollen from lilies can stain your furniture and it may be irritating to those who have allergies.
Further Topics:
DIY: Flower Powder Substitutes From Ingredients
Flowers Cats Can & Cannot Eat