{Flower Care} How to make your cut flowers last as long as possible

Here at The Olney Flower Shop, we specialise in providing fresh and beautiful cut flowers to you, our lovely customers! We want you to enjoy your flowers for as long as possible. Here are some handy tips on how to take care of your flowers:

Remove the packaging but don't cut the string

When you receive your flowers or get them home, remove the packaging. If it's delivered in a water bubble ('Aqua pack'), carefully pierce the cellophane bubble over your sink to drain the water and then remove the cellophane*. Flowers like to be able to breathe so it's fine to leave your bouquet wrapped for up to 48hours, but we recommend removing the packaging as soon as it's convenient.

If you'd like to arrange the flowers again yourself by all means cut the string around the tied stems, otherwise leave the string tied and your bouquet will sit beautifully in your vase in the manner we arranged them.

Dispose of your packaging responsibly

Did you know that the clear cellophane we use is completely biodegradable? If you received any with your flowers, simply pop it into your household 'green/garden waste' bin for industrial composting where it will break down and leave NO microplastics :)

Our flower food sachets are also completely biodegradable and these can be placed in your home compost where they will break down naturally within the same amount of time as a banana skin or orange peel.

Our paper, stickers and flower boxes are recyclable and plastic-free, and the twine and raffia we use is biodegradable and plastic free too!

Use a clean vase/Container

It is important to keep your vase clean to reduce bacteria. Bacteria can cause flowers to wilt and die quickly. You can clean your vase with soap and water, and we recommend adding a squirt of eco-friendly anti-bacterial spray to your vase before filling it up. We DO NOT recommend using bleach as this is very harmful to the environment.

Fill your vase about 2/3

When filling your vase with water, it is recommended to fill 2/3 of the vase. This will ensure that there is enough water for the flowers to absorb and stay hydrated. Use cool water, not warm. Fill the vase before you put your flowers in - otherwise the water bubbles can get into the stems and case a blockage (wilting).

Remove any leaves that sit below the water line

Leaves that are submerged in water can cause bacteria to grow and affect the health of the flowers.

Trim the stems!

Trim 2-3cm off the stems on receipt of your flowers just before you put them into the clean water, and again every couple of days. This will help the flowers to absorb water more easily and stay fresh for longer.

Change the water regularly

Change the water with fresh water every 1-2 days and top up when needed. Fresh water will provide the necessary nutrients for the flowers to thrive. (Don't get the flowerheads wet though as they will mould).

Keep the flowers cool

Keep flowers out of direct sunlight and do not place them close to fires or radiators. Direct heat can cause the flowers to wilt and die quickly.

Keep your flowers away from draughts

Draughts cause water to travel through the flowers more quickly leading to wilting.

Keep your flowers away from ripening fruit

Ripening fruit (particularly BANANAS!) produce ethylene gas which will cause the flowers in your bouquet to wilt faster.

Remove any wilting flowers and guard petals from your bouquet to keep it fresh

Wilting flowers can produce ethylene gas which can cause other flowers in the bouquet to wilt faster.

By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your flowers from The Olney Flower Shop stay fresh and beautiful for as long as possible.