For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal live. John 3:16 (NIV)

Flowers are a living product; which has been cut from their lifeline, thus creating special needs. Not meeting these needs will result in a quicker deterioration and a shorter life for your flower arrangement.

• WATER Flowers are composed of more than 90% water. Water carries nutrients through the tiny vessels, up the stem and leaves, to the flower. Water keeps the flower fresh, firm and alive after it has been cut from the growing plant.

- Fresh cut flowers must never be allowed to dry out. They must have water at all times.

• FOOD Cut flowers have lost their source of food, so you must provide an energy source for the flower to stay looking fresh. Preservatives are available from your local florist. Forget the aspirin and lemon lime soda tricks; they simply are not a good source of energy for fresh cut flowers.

- Use of no preservative, too little preservative or the improper preservative will decrease flower life span.

• HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT Temperature affects the life of fresh cut flowers. Cool temperatures slow down the deterioration process while warm temperatures speed it up. Excessively hot or cold temperatures will cause a great deal of damage. Flowers also need fresh air, free from pollutants and gases, particularly ethylene to stay healthy.

- Flowers that are placed in the sunlight or near a heat source, including electronic equipment such as a television will harm the life of flowers. Cold drafts or freezing temperatures are another hazard.

• SANITATION To prevent the growth of stem-clogging organisms that will inhibit the life of flowers clean water, tools and air are a must.

- Dirty tools, water and solutions will encourage bacterial growth which clogs stems and prevents the absorption of water.

A word about ethylene gas. Flowers must be protected form fruit and vegetables which gives off ethylene gas as it ripens. Therefore, placing flowers in a food refrigerator is not a good idea. Certain machinery also produces ethylene gas. Look for these characteristics when purchasing quality fresh flowers:

• Flowers should be firm and not limp.
• Stems should be clean, not dark and/or slimy
• Flowers should be free of disease and insects
• There should not be breakage
• Good color should be visible with little or no
  discolorations
• Single-stemmed flowers should be showing color, about
  to open
• Cluster or spike flowers should have one or two buds
  open
• Filler flowers should have one third to one half of the
  flowers open
• Flowers with centers should be open with green or
  mostly green centers

Purchasing flowers from a florist should insure that they have been properly cleaned, feed, conditioned and kept away from sources of ethylene gas. Choose beautiful healthy long lasting flowers to enjoy!

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." (1 Peter 1:24-25)

Author Ellen Skiles writes content for http://www.arrangefreshflowers.com, created by her son Wesley Skiles. She has twelve years experience in the floral industry including three years in a greenhouse, four years designing in a shop, and seven years as head designer and manager of a second flower shop.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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