Mastering Fresh Cut Care: Dos and Don’ts

FTD Flower Exchange is an option for purchasing bulk flowers with a variety of shipping options and competitive prices to add to your shop’s stock. As a florist, preserving this valuable inventory is essential, and you may have contemplated the best approaches to handle and care for fresh cuts before. By adhering to a straightforward checklist of recommended practices and steering clear of potential pitfalls, you can effectively extend the lifespan of your fresh flowers, ensuring the longevity and quality of your business’s inventory.

Best Practices for Fresh Cut Longevity

Controlled Inventory Temperature: Keep flowers stored in a controlled environment, with temperatures ranging between 34-38°F (1-3°C) and 55-65°F (13-18°C) for tropical blooms. Maintain consistent temperatures to avoid condensation on packaging.

Hygiene and Nutrition Guidelines: Ensure sanitation of tools, vases, and workstations for optimal flower care and remember to consistently utilize flower food to provide essential nutrients for fresh cut flowers. Calibrate dosing units or accurately hand mix solutions following label instructions.

Proper Inventory Storage: Allow sufficient space between flower bunches in buckets for proper ventilation and always be sure to store wet pack boxes in an upright position for practicality. It’s always good to adhere to the First In, First Out method to rotate fresh cut flower inventory systematically.

Trimming and Foliage Management: Use sharp utensils for accurate stem cuts during processing. Remove any foliage that would be submerged below the water level in vases to maintain a neat appearance.

Avoid Mistakes When Handling Your Fresh Cuts

Environmental Preservation: Shield flowers from adverse conditions like direct sunlight, heat, freezing temperatures, and drafts. Prevent moisture on flower heads by gently drying them to maintain their freshness. Keep flowers away from ripening produce or smoke to minimize exposure to ethylene gas.

Flower Food Quality: Discard old or contaminated flower food solutions; use only fresh mixtures and refrain from using softened water for processing your flowers or any homemade substitutes like bleach or soda pop for flower food.

Stem Integrity and Handling: Avoid gripping flowers by their blooms to prevent damage and steer clear of crushing stems while cutting to preserve their structural integrity. Remember to retain some foliage on the stem, removing only those below the water level. Container Material: Do not use crystal or metal containers for flower food.

Storage Guidelines: Leaves should not be submerged below the water level in vases to prevent water contamination. It’s also important to exercise floral compatibility, using caution when combining Daffodils with other flowers, as they may have adverse effects. Avoid overcrowding bunches to allow proper ventilation and use a liner in your galvanized buckets. Always keep wet pack boxes in an upright position.

By adhering to these “dos and don’ts” of fresh cut care, florists can ensure not only longevity but vibrancy of your floral inventory to keep your business flourishing. You can learn even more about the care and handling of flowers here.