Whether you’re getting them from a local florist or cutting them yourself from your own garden, knowing how to properly care for your cut flowers can mean prolonged enjoyment from those flowers inside your home. Today we’d like to share with you some of the best secrets of how to prolong life of cut flowers.

Cut in the Morning

If you’re cutting flowers from your own garden, cut them in the morning. Just-opened flowers are in the perfect condition to be transferred to a vase, and they will typically last a bit longer than flowers cut later in the day or evening. If getting flowers from a florist, try to choose only the freshest arrangements. Most florists will happily tell you when the flowers you’re interested in were cut, and sometimes they’re able to cut fresh flowers for you while you wait.

Cut the Stems in Water

Once you have your flowers inside, you’ll want to cut the stems once again before placing them in their new home. Place the stems in warm water inside a vase and cut the stems while they’re submerged. This ensures that no air enters the stems, so the cut flowers will be able to pull water from the vase without any interruptions or bubbles. Cutting the stems at an angle will allow them greater access to the vase’s water as well.

Use Vase Food

Using a vase food can help your cut flowers survive even longer in a vase. Use a commercial food, or make your own by mixing 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of bleach to a quart of water in your vase. Add ¼ teaspoon of bleach every few days to ensure a long and healthy vase life for your cut flowers.

Looking for a Florist?

If you’re looking for a florist to help you brighten up your own or a loved one’s home, TalkLocal can help. Our free concierge service can connect you to local florists who will be happy to assist you.

Fresh cut flowers can certainly brighten a room. Whether you just received a dozen roses from your husband or you simply bought a bouquet of tulips from a store, you can extend the life of flowers by using a very common kitchen staple – sugar. To be exact, you can keep flowers fresh with sugar water. Make a sugar-based flower preservative right at home to make any cut flowers last longer.

What You Will Need:

Option 1

– 3 tablespoons of sugar

– 2 tablespoons of white vinegar per liter of water

– Warm water enough to cover up to 4 inches of the flower stems

Option 2

– 2 tablespoons of sugar

– 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

– ½ teaspoon household chlorine bleach

– 1 liter warm water

Directions:

1. Combine all of the fluids together.

2. Dissolve the sugar into the solution.

3. Fill the vase with the sugar water, making sure to submerge the stems up to 4 inches high. You’ll be surprised how long you can keep flowers fresh with sugar water.

4. Just don’t forget to change the water in the vase every other day.

How does it work?

Like a growing flower, a cut flower still needs nutrition to stay alive. When a flower is cut, the stem acts like a straw. When you put it in water, it will draw up the water through its stem and all the way up the stalk to nourish the flower. It is possible to keep flowers fresh with sugar water because plants do use sugar, also known as sucrose, as a source of energy. In fact, growing plants produce sucrose during photosynthesis when they are exposed to sunlight.

Cut flowers, on the other hand, are not able to manufacture enough sucrose because they are no longer receiving direct sunlight, but table sugar works well as a sucrose replacement. When you put cut flowers in sugar water, they will absorb the sugar through the open ends of their stems.

Using Additives

Cut flowers respond better when certain additives are put in the sugar-water solution. In the options above to make sugar-based preservatives, adding acid (vinegar or fresh lemon juice) to the solution will regulate the water’s pH level and also help the flower absorb water faster, while adding a biocide (bleach) will kill bacteria and microorganisms.

Want to Order Some Flowers?

A sugar-based flower preservative can make the life of cut flowers last twice or thrice as long. This is why most florists use preservatives with some form of sugar in it. Now that you know how to make cut flowers last longer, why not order a bouquet now? Use TalkLocal to connect you to some of the best florists in your area quickly, easily, and for free.

When a person passes away, friends and family often provide floral arrangements for the funeral service. Many times, these floral arrangements will go home with the close family members of the deceased, so picking out appropriate flowers for a funeral might seem stressful initially. Here are some tips to keep in mind when making your decision:

Culture: While many Christian funerals today will have a large variety of floral arrangements, some Jewish funerals will ask for no flowers. Instead, they ask for a donation to be made to The Jewish National Fund. This fund then plants a tree in Israel in the name of the deceased.

Age: Traditionally, the funeral arrangements for older people will be a wreath of a variety of flowers, most notably white lilies and red roses.

Family: Knowing how traditional or non-traditional the deceased’s family is will determine if you send a wreath of lilies or an arrangement that looks like something more personal, like a football jersey.

Personality: If you know that the deceased really loved a sports team or hobby, professional florists can often make arrangements in the form of items used in those past-times.

Favorite flowers: Often, the deceased may have been especially fond of a particular type of flower or plant. Sending an arrangement that centers on this plant will be especially meaningful to the family despite how traditional they might be or their cultural preferences.

Florists Are Available To Help

The important thing to remember when choosing appropriate flowers for a funeral is that when in doubt, go traditional. If you are only somewhat familiar with the deceased and family, you can’t go wrong by sending a modest traditional wreath.

If you aren’t sure about particular cultural preferences, or would like to send an arrangement with flowers of particular meaning, ask a professional florist. TalkLocal can connect you with one in your area for free. Our services are fast and easy.

Graduation time is just around the corner. You may be looking to commemorate the occasion with appropriate flowers for graduation. Flowers are not just reserved for female graduates. They can be worked into the decor during celebrations for male graduates as well.

While it might not seem like you can go wrong with selecting flowers, some might be too formal while others might not match the decor of the ceremony or post-graduation celebration.

It does not matter if you are presenting flowers to a high school graduate, a college graduate, or even a kindergarten graduate. Your selection must be somewhat thought out.

The following are some suggestions and tips to finding the perfect flowers to commemorate a graduation.

– Orchids: These flowers come in a variety of colors and will take your breath away with their flawless beauty. Orchids are appropriate flowers for graduation for both male and female graduates and can be ordered to match the school colors of the graduate.

– Roses: Any colorful rose is a great way to congratulate a recent graduate. White, pink, and purple roses are great for female graduates. White roses can also be appropriate for male graduates.

– Carnations: Carnations can come in a variety of colors, too, and are not too formal.

– Bright and colorful never fails: For male graduates, you cannot go wrong with any arrangement of bright and colorful flowers. After all, this is a time for celebration, not dinner with your grandparents.

– Get creative: Do not be afraid to use your creative side. Send flowers of the school’s colors to both male and female graduates. Or, incorporate a school logo in the arrangement.

Graduation is a time that will be remembered for a lifetime. Send appropriate flowers for graduation to make a lasting memory. Your thoughtfulness will be appreciated. It is also a thoughtful gesture to send flowers to the host or hostess of any graduation parties that you attend.

Find Flowers With A Local Florist

Flowers are a great, inexpensive gift that is thoughtful as well as beautiful. Count on TalkLocal to connect you with florists that can cater to all of your needs. We connect consumers with businesses that provide the services that they are looking for — not just florists.

Gardens are an effective way to beautify your home, but when your garden looks the same as everyone else’s, you might get bored with it. An easy way to prevent that boredom or disappointment is to get some common exotic flowers for a garden to achieve a unique look. You don’t have to always settle for traditional flowers, like roses.

There are certain exotic flowers that do flourish in most American climates:

These are just a few of the common exotic flowers for a garden that can flourish in America. Don’t forget that other plants can also brighten up your garden if you use them strategically. For example, roses come in many different colors and might provide the extra pizzazz you’re looking for.

When You Need To Consult A Florist…

If you need help finding more information about these, or other flowers, TalkLocal can help connect you to professionals in your area. Our process is quick and hassle-free, and we’ll have you speaking with quality florists in your area in just minutes.

Nothing can add flair to your home like a beautiful plant in the right spot. Sometimes, the typical plants we see can get boring, though. If you’re interested in some common exotic house plants, or if you want to give a gorgeous plant as a gift, check out some of these exotic plants that will flourish in your home:

Zebra Plant: These house plants have really bold stripes on their leaves, similar to that of their namesake. During their peak season, autumn, they blossom golden flowers that are vibrant and vivid enough to steal the attention of every guest in your home. Zebra Plants are from Brazil, so you need to make sure they get a lot of sun and stay warm year round.

Moth Orchid: If you are tantalized by the beauty of the exotic orchid, but worried it may be too exotic for you, the Moth Orchid is your best friend. It’s also called the “Beginner’s Orchid” because it’s pretty easy to care for, but its exotic beauty’s appeal is similar to that of its wilder cousins.

Crab Cactus: This plant is named for the indentations on its petals that make it look like it’s full of crab claws. You can grow it in various sizes, and when it blossoms in the fall, the flowers range from white to pink to deep red and are oftentimes multicolored, too. This plant’s unique look makes it an eye-catcher.

Roses: Although these flowers are not the most exotic, they can beautify your home. They come in a range of colors that are associated with different meanings, which makes them the perfect flower for a gift.

Bromeliads: If you’re looking for a taller plant for your home, this gorgeous plant is what you will want. They average around 20 inches tall and they’re full of gorgeous red-orange flowers that complement their deep green leaves perfectly.

Bougainvillea: The name isn’t the only unique thing about this plant. It thrives well in containers or even baskets, which allows you to get creative with your potting. Bougainvillea flowers profusely, showing off awesome petals in different shades of pink, purple, red, orange and sometimes even a light blue.

Consult A Local Florist

These common exotic house plants will do well in your home even though they’re typically found in more exotic locations. For help with other questions related to home floral arrangements or gardening, use TalkLocal. We can connect you with local florists quickly and easily.

Someone you care about is at the hospital, and you want to let them know you care. Why not try flowers? According to a recent Harvard study, flowers have been proven to help boost energy and lessen feelings of anxiety and depression. If you are unsure of which flower to choose or confused about standards or guidelines when it comes to flowers and hospitals, we can help.

If the person is sick, you should try to avoid fragrant flowers such as lilies or lilacs; this could make them feel worse. Instead, try something like sunflowers. Just as beautiful, but without a smell.

After you’ve decided on the type of flower, make sure everything is sorted out when placing your order. You should have your name, phone number, and the full address of the hospital when you’re placing your order. You should also include the patient’s full name and room number, as well as when the flowers should be delivered.

However, before doing any of that, you should double-check the policies about flowers and hospitals. Sometimes, in certain areas of the hospital, flowers are prohibited. For instance, some hospitals restrict gifts or flowers in the Intensive Care Unit..

To find a good florist in your area, use TalkLocal. This free online service will call up numerous florists for you so you can get the help you need at the time you want it

Roses are some of the most iconic and beautiful flowers. They are used throughout fairy tales, history, and fables. Roses are a special gift to receive no matter what the occasion may be. However, the rose meanings differ according to color. For instance, white roses symbolize innocence. They are associated with new beginnings and spirituality.

Yellow roses symbolize friendship and caring. They are the “platonic” roses, meaning of love or friendship.

Pink roses are the gentle roses. They are used to convey admiration, joy and gratitude. Like the white rose, they are also indicative of sweetness and innocence. They can also mean grace.

Orange roses symbolize passion and energy. They can signify desire, fascination, and fervor.They can be used to show passion and romance.

Blue roses are rare. They can’t be achieved naturally, so they signify elusiveness. They show a desire for the unattainable.

Green roses show harmony and goodwill. They can also symbolize fertility and peace. These would be a good choice for a get-well flower.

Black roses are the roses of death and farewell. What we think are black roses, are actually just really dark red roses, which makes these roses very rare and beautiful. Unfortunately, ending black roses to someone usually symbolizes the death of a relationship.

Red roses are the most iconic roses. This is because they convey deep emotions like desire and love. They can also be used to convey respect, regret or devotion. Red roses have the most romantic meaning, therefore they are good roses to give to someone you love.

If you need help picking out flowers for your special occasion, try using TalkLocal. Our free online service will put you in touch with a number of highly rated florists in your area within minutes.