Michelle Virtue, from BYU Campus Craft and Floral at BYU shares some great floral tips for transforming that bouquet at the grocery store
into a professional looking arrangement.
Make sure you have the right tools and equipment for proper flower care!
Your basic floral supply checklist:
1. A clean, sharp knife.
2. Wire & wire cutters.
3. Garden sheers or clippers (for woody stalks & stems)
4. Floral Tape.
5. Flower Food.
6. Floral Foam.
7. Ribbon.
To Begin:
• Prepare your water, 100-110 degrees with floral preservative.
• Remove the leaves and thorn off stem that would go below the water line. This reduces water contamination from gases emitted from decaying flowers. Also helps keep water free of debris that can interrupt water uptake.
• Cut stem at a 45 degree angle. This increases surface area of stem and prevents the stem from sealing to the bottom of the container.
• Quickly get the newly cut stem in water. It takes less then a minute for air to seal off the cut on the stem making it nearly impossible for water to be absorbed up the stem.
• Store flowers in a cooler at 32-36 degrees, with 80% humidity and good air circulation.
• In the home, for longest vase life, store flowers away from direct light, in a cool place. Keep flowers away from appliances such as the TV that emit heat. Misting flowers can help keep humidity level high.
• Change the water and re-cut the stem of the flowers every 2 days to increase vase life.
For more information, you can contact Michelle or any of her staff at the BYU Campus Craft and Floral store on the BYU Campus.
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