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How to Make your Flowers Last Longer

How to Make your Flowers Last Longer

Posted by Mellow the TCG Florist on 22nd Mar 2018

Everybody loves a beautiful bouquet of flowers but let’s face it. After a couple of days, the flowers start to wilt and then you have a depressing reminder that not only do you have to throw away the beautiful gift that somebody gave you, but also that you can't keep flowers alive. Both things will ruin your day.

If this is the case then fear not, you are not alone my friend, and you should be happy to know that there is a secret to remedying this situation. In order to know how to fix the problem, we must know why it happens. 

The secret is in the ability for water to travel up the capillaries of the stem. These capillaries are like little straws that direct the water to all the different parts of the flower. 

In order for a flower to keep standing tall and strong, these capillaries need to remain unclogged and full of water. Stuff like dirt, air pockets, and nasty bacteria are all capable of cutting off the flowers supply of water.


So how do we prevent the water supply from being cut off? 

The answer is in the PH (or the acidity) of the water your flowers are in. PH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14. The lower the PH of the water, the more acidic that it is. 

There is a sweet spot for most flowers. A PH of about 3.5 to 5.0 is ideal. Having slightly acidic water is good for the flowers because not only does it kill all that bacteria blocking the stems, but it also makes the water travel through the capillaries of the flower more easily, thus keeping clear of dirt and air pockets.


Now you may be wondering, how do I lower the PH of my flower’s water?  

There are a few ways of doing this, both DIY and commercially. One common way is by adding a little bit of vinegar to the flowers water but be warned. Vinegar is very acidic and has a PH of about 2. This is much too acidic for flowers and can possibly kill them faster than if you left it out completely. 

Also it is not good to give flowers continuous exposure because the acid may possibly weaken the flower's steams, even if in the appropriate PH range. That’s why I recommend using a commercial product designed for flowers.



Floralife® QuickDip is a product that we use on every flower brought into our shop here at TCG Floral, and it is so easy to use.


QUICK DIP INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Pour 1 to 2 inches of QuickDip in a non-metallic clean container (No need to dilute the solution, you can use it right out of the bottle)
  2. Dip the newly cut flower stems in it for about 1 second
  3. Place the flower in a clean vase filled with a mix of clean water and floral solution


And that’s it! So easy, just like I told you. No worrying about killing your flowers with vinegar, just a second or two to dip you flower and you are done!


BONUS!

Here are some Pro Tips when using QuickDip:

  • Get it Here: https://www.tcgfloral.com/tcg-floral-floralife-quickdip-16oz-bottle/
  • Do not pour used fluid back into container (you may contaminate your solution)
  • Do not use with metal cups, or leave any metal in contact with solution
  • Perfect to use with your fresh cut flowers (Obviously if you want your flowers to last longer)
  • Great for all flowers (especially Roses, Gerberas, Lilac Blooms, and Hydrangeas