Although winter months are cold and dull, you can brighten your home and bring joy to your surroundings by having fresh cut flowers. Dry air and temperature fluctuations are flowers’ biggest threats. Indoor plants need care in winter to help them thrive. Alternatively, you can consult your florist in the UAE for ways to care for your bouquet.
How to Prevent Bugs from Eating Your Fresh Cut Flowers
Sometimes, bugs can grow a liking to your bouquet, but you can take action to keep them away. Bugs easily target fragile, unhealthy flowers; remove any discolored or dying leaves. Soapy water can be used; mix dish soap and water and spray your plants with this solution to dehydrate spider mites and aphids.
Pyrethrum spray is another solution to keep away bugs; it is made from dried chrysanthemum. Create a spray by mixing the powder with water and dish soap. This will paralyze insects on contact.
Neem oil spray is also useful in fighting bugs; this is an old natural anti-fungicide and insecticide. It repels mites, aphids, and other soft-bodied insects. You can also make other home remedies like pepper spray, herbal water spray, etc.
Tips for Winter Flower Care
A great way to brighten up the office in winter is to decorate with flowers. However, it can be challenging to keep the blooms alive because of temperature fluctuations. Here are simple but effective ways of caring for your bouquet in winter.
Keep Away from Heat Sources
Many houses experience temperature fluctuations in winter, especially those running under radiator heat. It is necessary to display your flower shop delivery away from heat sources and maintain a steady temperature around the bouquet. Temperature is significant for cut flowers; it can make them last longer or whither quickly. The optimum storage temperature for most non-tropical cut blooms is between 33 degrees Fahrenheit and 35 degrees Fahrenheit. An increase in this temperature reduces vase life.
Trim Dead Ends
It’s necessary to cut the stems at least 1 to 2 inches as soon as you receive your flowers. When a flower is cut, it protects itself against drying and infections; this means when a flower is put in a vase with solution, the water absorption is decreased. Cut the stems at a 45 degrees angle; this increases the surface area for more water and nutrient absorption. Use sharp flower clippers; avoid dull tools because they damage the stems.
It’s also necessary to trim any leaves from the bottom up to 2/3 of the stems. It’s vital to remove any foliage below the waterline to prevent rotting and bacteria buildup. Woody flower stems like roses require an additional vertical cut at the base of the stem of about 2 inches. Remember to use clean vases and remove any dead leaves and flowers to keep the bouquet looking fresh and prevent it from infecting other healthy flowers.
Change the Water
It’s necessary to change the bouquet's water; an unwritten rule is not letting the flowers sit in water that you would not consume. When the water gets discolored or cloudy, it has enough bacteria to destroy your bouquet. It is wise to change the water every other day to prevent bacteria buildup and keep the bouquet fresh longer. This also prevents the horrible smell that comes when flowers sit in water for too long. Warm water is ideal for your flower shop delivery; this helps them to absorb nutrients effectively. It’s also necessary to remember that if you have a bouquet of different flowers, they will have a varied vase life.
Flower Food is Necessary
Apart from changing the water, it’s necessary to add flower food for the blooms to thrive. Your flower shop delivery comes with packets of flower food, so you don’t have to worry about DIYing. Flower food does more than feed your flowers; it contains a bactericide that keep the water fresh for at least a day or two. Some flowers don’t do well with flower food, for instance, sunflowers, gladiolas, and zinnias.
Flower food usually contains a mixture of carbohydrates and sugars that act as energy sources for the bouquet, antibacterial that kills and keeps bacteria way, and pH regulators that help water travel faster throughout the plants’ system control the acidic levels in the water. It is necessary to follow the instructions on the packet. If you use too much water to mix the powder, the sugars increase bacteria, and the antibacterial element will not be strong enough to kill them. Flower food works best with effective flower care.
Avoid Drafts
Windows are the coldest parts of the house; if you decide to place your bouquet next to a window, ensure that the foliage does not touch the windowpane. Cold glass can also make the flowers die overnight. Rotting foliage also speeds up the death of other healthy flowers and stems.
Winter air can be dry and harsh, but you can use a humidifier to infuse moisture into the atmosphere. This prevents delicate leaves and petals from browning. A humidifier also helps to conserve the bouquets’ moisture; this prevents water loss. Humidifiers are better than misting in winter. Plants take in carbon dioxide through their pores, but when the air is dry, they close these pores to protect themselves. This is how they retain moisture for long periods, but they don’t breathe; this is why their color changes.
Keep Away from Fruits
Your flower shop delivery looks good next to a colorful bowl of fresh fruits, but it is a bad idea to put these two together. Fruits like apples and bananas produce ethylene gas that’s responsible for accelerate plant growth. This causes them to drop their leaves and flowers as a result of too much growth hormone. Ethylene gas is used to speed up ripening, but in cut flowers, it causes death.
Taking care of your flowers in winter is as easy as taking care of them during any other time but with a few dos and don’ts. Flowers don’t like extreme temperatures or a dry atmosphere. It is necessary to research if you don’t know where to start. You can order a fresh bouquet from BloomingBox and get it delivered within hours.
