If you have ever visited your local florist or any flower shop, you probably noticed that they always have the freshest flowers on display. When you purchase and send flowers, the reach their destination looking absolutely perfect but it’s not long before they begin to wilt. So, what does your florist do to keep their flowers in such fantastic shape?
For every florist, no matter where they are in the world, keeping flowers at just the right temperature is essential. That’s what makes their refrigerator(s) the most important piece of equipment. A small flower shop might have just one fridge in the back of the shop whereas larger florists will have larger, walk in fridges and their premises might resemble more of a warehouse design. Small flower shops usually place just a few bouquets on display in the front on the shop while the rest of their flowers are safely stored in temperatures ranging from 3 to 8 degrees Celcius (36 to 46 degrees Farenheit).
Since heat makes flowers wilt, it makes perfect sense that cooler conditions will keep them looking fresher for longer. Of course, the temperatures of these refrigerators need to be properly monitored and regulated. You wouldn’t want your precious blooms to freeze. Fresh flowers also tend to last longer if they are properly refrigerated before they are arranged in a bouquet. Many florists keep their assembled bouquets in the fridge until they are to be delivered or collected. This is particularly the case if you order several arrangements for a special occasion like a wedding. The flowers are usually arranged the day or night before the event and then stored in the fridge so that they are perfectly fresh. In some cases, restaurants even make special space in their fridges to store flower bouquets that will later be placed on the tables for a special occasion.
As for a florist flower delivery, the arrangements may need to withstand a few hours in a transport vehicle before being delivered. This can definitely cause the flowers to wilt and get damaged but florists have this covered too! Flowers are transported in special refrigeration units to keep all bouquets in top shape until the very moment they reach their destination.
It’s also important to note that florists keep large quantities of flowers. For this reason, they don’t keep their flowers in vases but buckets and large containers instead. They keep each type of flower and different colours separate. They also keep different kinds of foliage in separate buckets with water. All stems are trimmed at an angle and re-trimmed every few days. The water in the buckets is changed regularly and, when this is done, the buckets are all thoroughly cleaned before being refilled with water.
Each time a florist uses a pair of scissors, sheers or another piece of equipment, they make sure that they wash them with water and bleach or dish washing soap. It might sound absurd to some but it is quite essential. Bacteria grows on the stems of plants so, when you trim stems, some of that bacteria rubs off onto the scissors or knife. If you don’t clean it, you will spread the bacteria to other stems.
All of these things can also be done at home. Make sure that you clean out your vase every few days. Wash and rinse it thoroughly before replacing the water and flowers. As for the refrigerator, you can’t really put your bouquet in the fridge. You can, however, keep your flowers in a room with air conditioning. If you don’t have an air conditioner, you can place them in the coolest part of your home and keep them out of any direct sunlight.
