This is from our farmer Eve: We want your cut flowers to last after you get them, and so do you. Realistically they are likely to last 3-6 days, due to the types of flowers we grow, and often some flowers in a mixed bouquet will die before others. If you pick the dying ones out, you can enjoy the longer-lived varieties for a few more days. Here are some simple things you can do to help flowers last longer: 1. KEEP THEM IN WATER This may seem self-evident, but try not to let them be out of water for too long. If you're not going straight home after your CSA pickup, bring some paper towel and a plastic baggie and wet down the stem ends before you put the bouquet in your bag. Try not to leave flowers anywhere hot, like in your car. Once they have wilted, some types of flowers will perk up when put back into water, but some will not. 2. CUT THE STEMS ONCE YOU GET HOME Trim the stems (anywhere from 1 cm to as much as you want) once you get home, with a knife (not a scissors). This opens the stem water vessels that have hardened from exposure to the air (xylem - remember from biology class?) so that the flower can drink again. They say to "cut under water", but logistically I've never figured out how to do this. If you can, great. 3. ADD PRESERVATIVE TO THE WATER You can add a tablespoon of sugar, bleach, or commercial floral preservative to your vase water if you want. I usually don't at home, myself, but if you do they will last longer. 4. CHANGE WATER FREQUENTLY AND RECUT STEMS Every couple of days, dump the vase water out and recut the stems an inch or so. This will slow the decay process and keep the flowers drinking 5. KEEP FLOWERS AWAY FROM RIPENING FRUIT Hormones (ethylene) from ripening fruit or tomatoes will make your flowers ripen (die) faster. So don't put them next to the banana bowl. Also, if you can keep them out of direct sunlight that will help. That's about it. Some flowers just intrinsically last longer than others, some wilt more easily, etc., which is not your fault. Unfortunately some of the prettiest flowers have the shortest vase life... but we use many that hold up well, and we hope that your bouquet will last 4-6 days on average. |
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