Keys to Fresh Cut Flower Longevity: Keeping Your Blooms Beautiful

Essential Tips to Maximize Flower Life

To consumers, the longevity of fresh cut flowers reflects their quality. Long-lasting blooms not only add value but also encourage repeat sales and customer loyalty. Extensive research has identified three critical areas that growers can focus on to enhance flower longevity: cooling, cleanliness, and care.

Cooling: Chill Out for Freshness

Temperature control is paramount in preserving the freshness of cut flowers. The majority of flowers thrive when stored at temperatures between 33°F and 35°F from the moment they are cut until they reach the vase on a consumer's table or are arranged by a florist. However, tropical flowers such as anthuriums, proteas, gingers, orchids, and bird-of-paradise prefer warmer storage temperatures of 50°F to 55°F.

Key Takeaway: Always store cut flowers at their optimal temperature to maximize their lifespan.

Cleanliness: A Clean Start for Long Life

Microbes in storage water can multiply rapidly, clogging the stems and preventing water uptake, which shortens the life of cut flowers. To combat this, growers should use sterile buckets and cutting tools. Fresh flower food solutions that contain biocides can help control microbial growth, ensuring the flowers stay hydrated and healthy. Key Takeaway: Sterilize tools and containers, and use biocide-containing flower food solutions to prevent microbial growth.

Care: Handle with Love

The distribution chain plays a significant role in the longevity of cut flowers. Ethylene gas, produced by certain fruits, vegetables, engines, and decaying plant material, can drastically reduce flower life by causing blooms to die prematurely. Ensuring flowers are kept at the right temperature, properly hydrated before packing, and stored in sanitized buckets with correctly mixed flower food are essential steps in extending their lifespan. Key Takeaway: Minimize ethylene exposure and ensure proper hydration and temperature control throughout the distribution chain.

Retailer Tips: The Final Touch

Retailers are the final crucial link in the chain to ensure fresh cut flowers reach consumers in prime condition. Here are some essential tips:

Clean Containers

Always use clean, sanitized containers. Scrub buckets and storage containers with an antimicrobial solution, rinse, and let them drain. White buckets are recommended as dirt is more visible. Fill buckets with solutions containing a biocide, which is found in most commercial flower foods.

Recut Stems

Recut flower stems by removing 1 to 2 inches. This step isn't necessary under water. Recutting removes any section of the stem that might be clogged with microbes, ensuring better water uptake. Place freshly cut stems into clean buckets filled with properly prepared flower food, following the manufacturer’s instructions for mixing.

Maintain Proper Temperatures

Keep most flowers at 33°F to 35°F. Tropical flowers should be stored at 50°F to 55°F. Even a slight increase in temperature can significantly reduce vase life. Keep bouquets in coolers and use climate-controlled vehicles for local deliveries.

Avoid Ethylene Exposure

Never store flowers with fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene, a gas that can cause flowers to die prematurely, buds to remain closed, and leaves to yellow. Regularly check coolers and buckets, removing any non-salable stems as they release ethylene.

Educate Consumers

Include a packet of fresh flower food with every sale, whether the flowers are in a formal arrangement or a loose bunch. Educate consumers on how to mix the flower food properly, emphasizing that it can extend floral vase life by 25% to 75% and help all the buds open.

Key Takeaway: Clean, temperature-controlled storage and proper consumer education are vital for maximizing the life of cut flowers.

By focusing on these key areas, wholesalers, retailers can ensure that cut flowers remain fresh, beautiful, and long-lasting, delighting consumers and driving sales.