Water is essential for flowers to develop optimally. Water fills up the growing cells in the cut flower and provides strength. Water is also the carrier of all nutrients needed for the natural development of leaf and flower. Water shortage irrevocably leads to limp stems, leaves and flowers and ultimately to premature wilting and end of vase life.

Cutting a piece off the stem of the flower is essential for its ability to absorb water and flower food, in order to develop in a natural way. Cutting also implies creating a wound, which could become infected. Blunt knives and cutting tools, and the resulting stem damage from their use, can lead to an explosive growth of micro-organisms in containers and vases. Therefore, the cleaner the cut, the better it is for the flower.

Advice:

Chrysal flower food contains primarily sugars. Legally, flower foods do not qualify as foodstuffs and they are not meant for human consumption. Consumption of Chrysal flower food should not cause any health problems, considering its composition, however, we would never recommend this.

Once flowers are cut, they are deprived of the water, food and growth hormones that are provided to them by the mother plant in the pre-harvest stage. In order to allow the cut flower to still bloom in a natural way, while retaining its form, flower colour, scent and leaf colour, we need to supply it with flower food in the vase water. This must happen at every phase of the distribution chain: at the grower, the wholesaler, the florist and the retail level and finally at the consumer level. Interruption of this ‘food chain’ will irrevocably lead to loss of vase life.

Direct sunlight and high temperatures should be avoided as much as possible. This may sound contradictory, because light and heat are essential for the growth of plants, for the so-called photosynthesis. For the best growth there should be a good balance in climate between temperature, light and humidity. A plant in direct sunlight and high temperatures also needs a high humidity, which is often lacking in room conditions. Without the combination of these three elements, the photosynthesis process quickly decreases or stops altogether.

Most households have more than one vase, so the appropriate one may be chosen for the size of the bouquet and the vases will be stored for some time while not in use. Therefore vases are often at least slightly, and sometimes greatly, contaminated by bacteria. For this reason it is always a good idea to scrub and rinse each vase before use. This gives both the flowers and the vase water a fresh and clean start in order to help vase life performance.

Draughts can be a problem throughout the flower journey, from grower to consumer. They cause the flower’s moisture to evaporate to a greater degree than it can absorb and it will go limp. The stomata on the underside of the leaf regulate not only the moisture and heat that is put out, but also the carbon dioxide and nitrogen exchange with the surrounding air. If there is little air movement, the air layer around the leaf forms a protective cushion against excessive evaporation.

There are 3 main reasons for cutting the stem:

To protect themselves from drying out, plants and trees drop their buds, blooms and leaves. For cut flowers and potted plants this dropping is often the result of over-production of the growth hormone ethylene; the only known gaseous, naturally occurring plant growth hormone. Ethylene gas regulates the ripening/ageing of cut flowers, potted plants, fruits and vegetable fruits. Ethylene gas is therefore purposely used to promote the ripening of fruit and the blooming of potted plants.

Leaves contaminate the vase water, just like stems do. The stem has to be in the water; the leaf, however serves no purpose in the water, in fact, it has a negative effect! Therefore, it is recommended to remove the lower which would otherwise be in the vase water. The additional positive effect of this is that it decreases the amount of evaporation because the total leaf surface is decreased.