Whether selling bouquets in a shop or creating arrangements for an event, you want your flowers to look their best for as long as possible. That means keeping them alive and preventing wilting. It takes more than putting them in water to keep fresh flowers healthy. If you’re losing flower inventory before selling them, try these ideas for keeping fresh-cut flowers longer.
How to Make Flowers Last Longer for Selling
Don't let your flowers wilt before anyone can enjoy them! Try our tips for keeping them alive for longer.
No one wants to pay for half-wilted flowers. And you don’t want to throw out flowers that died before you could recoup their cost. So, how do you make flowers last longer to keep everyone happy? If you’re struggling to keep flowers looking fresh, add these methods to what you already do.
Keep Flowers Hydrated
Keep flower picks and other florist supplies in stock to hydrate your floral arrangements.
This sounds obvious, but make sure your flowers always have fresh, clean water. Keep them in cold water when storing them, while working with them, once arranged, and during transportation. Use warm water if you want to force your flowers to bloom more quickly, otherwise use cold water as it will not cause bacteria to grow that could be harmful to your flowers. Cut the ends of your stems to help them better soak up water. Products like floral foam and water picks can help stems stay hydrated once you put them in arrangements.
Feed Your Flowers
Flowers need more than just water. They need nutrients, too. Ideally, you add specially formulated flower food to your flowers’ water. You’ll find many suggestions for cheap household solutions for flower food, but these can promote microbial growth that will dirty the water and affect your blooms. Commercial flower food generally works best.
Keep Things Cool
Flowers might like heat when growing, but it’s another story when they’re cut. Heat makes fresh-cut flowers dry up and wilt quickly. Keep your fresh flowers in florist coolers in your shop or studio before selling them. If you can afford it, a refrigerated delivery vehicle is a must for transporting flowers to special events. Your customers will appreciate the extra care and gorgeous blooms.
Keep Flowers In The Dark
Storing flowers in a dim space will help preserve them, too. Light causes them to bloom, so if you don’t want those buds open yet, don’t give them light. Harsh sunlight and UV rays can also age petals prematurely, so try not to put flowers in direct sunlight before they’re sold or delivered. The more you do to keep flowers fresh, the better they will look for customers and the happier they’ll be with your work.
Take Care with Storage and Transportation
Of course, you carefully secure your flowers in boxes to keep your arrangement’s shape, but you should also package them to prevent damage. Crushed flowers instantly look bad and will die quickly. Ensure your flowers have plenty of room in your cooler so they aren’t pushed against walls and shelves. Use large boxes and crates filled with packing material during transportation to cushion arrangement vases and keep blooms from falling over.
See How Your Fresh Flowers Look in Vases from 46 & Spruce
Keep flower arrangements looking fresh in trendy vases from 46 & Spruce! Our selection of vase sizes, styles, and materials has something for every floral design. Looking for bulk ordering? Sign up for a Professional account and get access to exclusive products and bulk order discounts. If you have any questions while shopping, contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.