Keeping Your
Blooms Beautiful

Carefully unbox your arrangement and remove all protective wrapping, tissue, and rubber bands.

If flowers arrived in a bouquet (not a vase), re-cut stems at a 45-degree angle using sharp shears or a clean knife — never household scissors, which crush the vascular tissue.

Strip any foliage that will sit below the waterline. Submerged leaves breed bacteria rapidly and shorten vase life.

Place stems in a clean vase filled with room-temperature water (about 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit) and the provided flower food packet.

Allow the arrangement to hydrate for at least two hours before handling or repositioning stems.

Change the water every two days. Even with flower food, water becomes a bacterial environment over time.

Each time you change the water, re-trim stems by half an inch at a diagonal to maintain fresh uptake surfaces.

Always use the flower food provided with your arrangement. It contains sugar (energy), acidifier (optimal pH), and biocide (bacteria prevention).

If you run out of flower food: mix one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of white vinegar, and two to three drops of bleach per quart of lukewarm water.

For NJ homes with well water: the mineral content can vary. If your water is notably hard, consider using filtered water for best results.

Choose a cool spot with bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, which accelerates wilting.

Keep arrangements away from heating vents, radiators, and fireplaces. Warm, dry air is the enemy of fresh flowers.

Never place flowers near a fruit bowl. Ripening fruit releases ethylene gas, a natural hormone that dramatically shortens flower life.

Avoid drafty areas near exterior doors — especially during NJ winters when cold blasts can shock delicate blooms.

If your home uses forced-air heating (common in New Jersey), consider running a humidifier in the room. The added moisture benefits both flowers and your own comfort.

Remove spent or wilting blooms promptly. Dying flowers produce ethylene gas that accelerates aging in neighboring stems.

Gently mist delicate blooms like hydrangeas, garden roses, and orchids once daily — especially in winter when indoor air is dry.

Rotate the arrangement a quarter turn each day so all sides receive even light exposure and develop symmetrically.

Tulips continue growing in the vase and will bend toward light. This is natural and can create beautiful, organic movement.

Check water levels daily. Some arrangements — especially those with woody stems like lilac or viburnum — drink heavily in the first 48 hours.

Move arrangements to a cooler room overnight — a garage, mudroom, or enclosed porch works well in NJ's climate. Cold slows metabolism and can add two to three days of life.

The overnight refrigerator trick: for special occasions, place the arrangement in your fridge (away from fruit) the night before you need it to peak. This effectively pauses the bloom cycle for 12 to 18 hours.

As the arrangement ages, edit it. Remove finished stems and re-compose the remaining flowers into a smaller vessel. This often creates a more sculptural, interesting composition.

Roses with browning outer petals can be refreshed by gently removing the guard petals. The inner bloom is often still pristine.

When the last blooms fade, consider drying a few favorites. Hang stems upside down in a cool, dark, dry space for two weeks. Dried flowers make beautiful permanent decor or keepsake bookmarks.