Floral Arrangements Can Last Longer than The Holidays

Saturday, December 23, 2006 03:45 AM

Many people enjoy having fresh floral arrangements in their home this time of year. It is a beautiful way to decorate the home and add some fragrance. Floral arrangements make a wonderful gift to give; there is a Chinese proverb that says "The fragrance of a flower stays in the hands of those who give them."

If cared for properly a fresh arrangement can last from a week to 3 weeks depending on what it consists of. When choosing cut flowers the foliage should be firm and blooms should be at the opening stage and in the case of multi flowered stems a few blooms are open with lots of colored buds. You want to make sure that they are always in water.

Arrangements are either in a water filled vase or placed in an oasis that should always be kept wet. You can also make up your own arrangements by purchasing flowers by the stem or as a ’cash and carry bouquet’ and these will not be in water while transporting them home. When you get them home you should re-cut the stems on an angle using a sharp knife and then arrange them either in a water filled vase in which a packet of flower preservative is mixed into the water or putting them into water soaked oasis.

When arranging the flowers, remove any lower leaves from the stem that would be submerged under water which helps in preventing rot. This time of year many arrangements use holly, fir, spruce and other winter greens as fillers and these are long lasting. Then you add the flowers of your choice as well as ribbon, candles, and balls or decorations. To make these arrangements last for a length of time you can replace the finished flowers with new fresh ones while leaving the green fillers and in doing so having an arrangement last for 2-3 weeks for just a few extra dollars.

Where you place your arrangement in the home can also have an affect on how long the arrangement will last. Keeping it out of direct sunlight and also away from drafts or heating vents helps lengthen the time. Also cooler room temperatures helps in keeping arrangements look nice for a longer period of time. If this is not possible you can place it in a cooler spot (not freezing) at night and then bring it back out in the morning.