FSG Workbook

Proper Care and Handling of Fresh Flowers

PROCESSING YOUR FLOWERS Unpack Immediately

The quality of your shop’s fresh flowers—and your customers’ satisfaction—relies on their care and handling. Use this guide to properly care for your fresh flowers and foliage.

Internal heat builds up in closed boxes and can damage flowers. Put boxes in the cooler and open their lids until you can process properly. Inspect All Shipments Record all damaged products and immediately report them to your suppliers for credit or exchange. Document the temperature of the blossoms to determine if flowers have been stressed during shipment. Look for mechanical damage (breakage and folding) as well as mold and bacteria damage. Remove Foliage from Stems Below the Waterline Foliage in water cultivates bacteria and causes flowers to rapidly deteriorate. Immediately remove damaged flowers and foliage, as they produce ethylene gas that shortens vase life. Certain cultivars can be damaged if all foliage is removed, so process each variety according to its characteristics. Give Stems a Fresh Cut Hydrating flowers quickly requires you to recut the stems with sharp clippers, a blade or a knife. Remove at least one inch of the stem and immediately place it into water with fresh flower food. Never Leave Flowers Out of Water When designing, select flowers from the cooler and place them in a bucket containing water and fresh flower food. Take the bucket to the design table to prepare the arrangement. Flowers left out of water for extended periods of time should The correct ratio of fresh flower food to water enhances the quality, color and shelf life of flowers by up to 75%. Always mix according to the manufacturer’s instructions, or use an automatic dispensing system to eliminate any guesswork. Allow Air to Circulate Always loosen bunches and sleeves to allow flowers to open normally and for air to flow through each bunch. This will help them respire properly. EDUCATING YOUR CUSTOMERS Every arrangement leaving your shop provides an opportunity to educate a customer. Attach a care card with instructions for watering frequency, proper temperatures and any special instructions. Demonstrate to walk-in customers the proper way to recut stems, and include several packets of fresh flower food with each arrangement to enable customers to add flower food when they change the water. be recut before being used. Use Fresh Flower Food

PREPARING YOUR SHOP Scrub Up

Clean everything that comes in contact with fresh flowers with a warm solution of detergent and bleach. This prevents the spread of bacteria, which decreases the vase life of flowers. Clean tools, refrigerators, knives and countertops at least weekly; daily is better. Clean storage buckets after every use. Discard Trash Frequently remove stems and foliage from trash cans and floors, as these deteriorating materials produce ethylene gas that shortens vase life. Do not allow leaves and stems to collect on the refrigerator floor. Choose the Right Container Use plastic or glass containers to store fresh flowers. Metal containers corrode easily; this corrosion can contaminate water and shorten the vase life of flowers. Mark the inside of buckets with the correct water level (usually two gallons for a five-gallon bucket) so that the correct amount of fresh flower food is added. Check the Temperature and Humidity Temperature is critical to the vase life of flowers. Continually monitor refrigeration units; use more than one thermometer for accurate measurement. Have the unit professionally inspected at least every six months. Most flowers require a room temperature of 34°–38° F (2°–3° C) with a minimum of 80% humidity, while tropical flowers require 55°–60° F (13°–16° C). Use High-Quality Water Poor-quality water containing excessive contaminants will block the movement of water up a flower’s stem. Some crops are sensitive to fluoride in the water supply. Have your water tested by a professional and do your own tests with various fresh flower foods to see which product yields the best results. Source High-Quality Flowers How and where you purchase your fresh flowers impacts your bottom line. Flowerbuyer offers a 100% quality guarantee on all flowers and an average savings of 30%; save even more by bidding on the online auction. See page 142 to learn more.

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