How to Guide for our flower club members

Tips from Maisie: Keeping Your Blooms Beautiful

Welcome to the Flower Club! We’re thrilled to bring fresh, seasonal blooms directly to your door. To ensure your flowers stay vibrant and beautiful for as long as possible, follow these simple care tips:

1. Prepare Your Vase & Water

A clean environment is essential for flower longevity.

  • Choose the Right Vase: Select a clean vase that is proportionate to your bouquet or arrangement. The vase opening should comfortably accommodate all stems without overcrowding them, and the height should support the flowers.

  • Cleanliness is Key: Wash your vase thoroughly with warm, soapy water to remove any bacteria from previous arrangements. Rinse well.

  • Use Fresh, Cool Water: Fill your clean vase with fresh, cool (room temperature or slightly cool) water.

2. Unpack & Hydrate as soon as you can

Your flowers have been on a journey! Getting them into water as soon as possible when they arrive is the most crucial step.

  • Open Carefully: Gently unwrap your flowers.
  • Remove Packaging: Take off any protective wrapping or ties from the stems.
  • Re-cut Stems: This is a crucial step! Using a sharp pair of scissors, carefully trim a few inches off the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle. This creates a larger surface area for water absorption and prevents the stems from sitting flat on the vase bottom, which can block water uptake. Please be careful when using scissors. You’ll want to put them in water as soon as you cut to avoid them callousing over (which blocks water uptake). 

For Bouquet Deliveries: You don’t necessarily need to re-cut stems if your bouquet goes straight from its delivery vase to your vase. I’ve already conditioned and kept them hydrated. However, if you’re trimming them to fit your specific vase, or if they’ve been out of water for any period, definitely make that fresh cut!

  • Remove Lower Leaves: After trimming, strip any leaves that would fall below the waterline in your chosen vase. Submerged leaves will rot, contaminating the water and encouraging bacterial growth, which shortens your flowers’ life.

For Bouquet Deliveries: You may not need to do this as much, but it’s always good to check no leaves are where they shouldn’t be.

3. Water Care 

  • Avoid Home Remedies: I don’t recommend adding sugar, aspirin, or any other home remedies to the water, as these often do more harm than good and can promote bacterial growth. It’s best to take care of your water instead with regular changes. 

4. Arrange & Place Your Flowers

For Letterbox Flowers

Arrange Thoughtfully: Once trimmed, gently arrange your flowers in the vase. Distribute them evenly to create a balanced look. Avoid cramming them tightly.

For All Deliveries – Ideal Placement

Ideally if you can, and want to, you should try to choose a spot for your vase that is: 

  • Out of Direct Sunlight: Direct sun will cause flowers to wilt and fade quickly.
  • Away from Heat Sources: Avoid placing flowers near radiators, fireplaces, or heating vents.
  • Away from Drafts: Cold or hot drafts can stress flowers.
  • Away from Fruit Bowls: Ripening fruits (especially bananas and apples) release ethylene gas, which accelerates flower aging and can cause premature wilting.

That’s a lot of different elements, so it’s okay if you can’t get them all exactly where you want to place your flowers — just be aware of what this can do to their shelf life.

5. Maintenance

A little regular care goes a long way.

  • Check Water Levels Daily: Flowers are thirsty! Top up the water daily, ensuring the stems are always submerged.

  • Change Water Every 2-3 Days: Change the water completely every 2-3 days, or whenever it appears murky.

  • Re-Cut Stems (Optional but Recommended): Every few days, or when changing the water, re-trim the stems by another 1/2 to 1 inch. This re-opens the “veins” of the stem for better water absorption.

  • Remove Fading Blooms & Leaves: As individual flowers or leaves begin to wilt or discolour, gently snip them off. This not only keeps your arrangement looking neat but also prevents the release of ethylene gas from decaying plant material, which can harm the remaining healthy blooms.

By following these simple steps, you’ll be able to enjoy your beautiful Flower Club deliveries for longer, bringing joy and freshness to your home!

Much Love, 

Maisie x