Flower Care & Prep
Flower Care & Prep
BloomsByTheBox ships the FINEST QUALITY wholesale flowers and bulk flowers to the public. To make sure your wedding flowers and flower arrangements are their most beautiful and long lasting, please carefully follow these guidelines when handling your flowers.
Have questions about wholesale flower care and preparation? Call (855) BUY-BLOOMS or send us a message.
Important! During transit from our growers, your flowers have been without water in a state of "suspended animation" for many hours. DO NOT PANIC if they appear wilted or limp. To bring your flowers to peak health and beauty, they must be re-hydrated immediately!
- Prepare clean vases or containers and clean, sharp, utensils such as clippers, floral shears or knives. Ordinary household scissors can crush the stems and prevent proper hydration.
- Prepare lukewarm water. Floral preservative is optional. If your tap water is very soft or very hard, use spring water.
- All flower and green stems must be re-cut to enable absorption of water. If possible, cut stems while holding under water. Cut at least one inch from the bottom of the stem at a 45 degree angle to expose as much of the end as possible. Remove all foliage that will be under the container's water line to delay bacteria growth.
- Immediately place the flowers into the prepared water. Mist the blooms with water. Do not overcrowd! Store them at room temperature and away from direct sunlight to let them drink and recover. Occasionally mist the blooms as they open. This process may take up to 12 hours. If any stems still appear wilted, re-cut following the directions above
- To slow the blooming process a day or two, a day or two, use cool (not cold) water and store flowers in a cool, dark place. To expedite blooming, use warm (not hot) water.
- If you are using floral foam, thoroughly saturate it in water and floral preservative. It should sink to the bottom of the sink or tub when fully saturated. If it is floating it is not ready. It can take several hours to fully soak a block, so do ahead of time. Place your vase or arrangement away from heat, drafts, and direct sunlight. Be sure to water arrangements and mist with a sprayer daily.
- Change the water every two to three days or when it becomes cloudy. It is best to clean the vase and re-cut the stems.
Flowers that Need Special Care
Some flowers require special attention! Please read the following if you have ordered any flowers with special needs.
ROSES: Growers typically leave unsightly or bruised outer petals called "guard petals" on the flower heads to protect the flowers during shipping. Gently pinch off these outer petals to reveal the fresh layer underneath before arranging. As the flowers age, you can continue to pinch off outer layers as they dry. Carefully remove thorns and lower leaves. Hydrate for at least 12 hours before arranging. If roses appear soft/wilted after hydrating overnight, there may be air trapped in the stem. Re-cut the stem and submerge the full flower (stem and head) in water for at least 60 minutes.
GARDEN (CABBAGE) ROSES: Garden roses have a very short vase life, are extremely delicate, and do not tolerate excessive handling, time out of water, or direct light/heat. Leave these arrangements until last, and store garden roses accordingly.
HYDRANGEA: Cut Hydrangea stems between the stem nodes at an angle with floral shears. Cut an additional 1" slice up through the bottom of each stem. (The bottom inch of each stem will then be cut in half vertically). Immediately place in a vase of warm water. If Hydrangea are wilted after several hours or days, they may be unable to take up water. Re-cut stems and place stems in hot water for 30 seconds. Immediately place them into room temperature water. The process to revive them may take several hours.
Tulips, Hyacinths, Iris, Daffodils: Do not use floral preservatives with Tulips. Be careful not to damage delicate Iris tips. Daffodils will prevent other flowers from absorbing water properly; hydrate them separately for at least six hours and do not re-cut their stem before adding more flowers.
Gerber Daisies: It is critical that Gerber Daisy stems be cut with a clean, sharp utensil on an angle, several [at least 6] inches from the bottom of the stem so they hydrate properly. "Gerbera Sleeves" must be used when putting gerberas in arrangements.
Lilies: Carefully remove the pollen stamens when the petals open to extend the life of a lily. Take care - the pollen will stain fabrics!
Bells of Ireland: These flowers may appear limp upon arrival, but with the proper hydration will recover beautifully. The re-hydration process may take up to 24 hours.
Dendrobium Orchids: If they appear wilted upon arrival, submerge the entire spray in cool tap water for 15-30 minutes.