How to help your flowers survive the summer heat
Summer is a wonderful time of the year, full of light and colour. It’s also the time when many flowers come into bloom, but it can be challenging for them when it gets too hot. Follow these simple tips to get the most out of your blooms.
Hydration is key
Flowers are a thirsty bunch, especially when it’s hot outside. To provide them the water they require it’s important to trim a good 3 cm off each stem as soon as you receive them. Popping them into water without cutting the end will do little to nothing to re-hydrate them as the water absorbing structures at the base of the stem are dry and clogged.
Somewhat ironically, the trick here is to use lukewarm water as the majority of flowers hydrate better in warm water. We also recommend using our supplied sachet of flower food to give them the additional nutrients they require. For more information, take a look at which cut flowers last the longest.
Location, Location, Location
It may seem obvious but leaving your flowers in direct sunlight will greatly shorten their vase life. To keep them as healthy as possible we recommend displaying them in a light-filled room but away from harsh sunlight. If possible, try to keep them away from any major drafts as well to limit water evaporation.
Switch it out
Hot weather means bacteria and fungi living on the flower stems and in the water multiply faster. Even though our flower food contains an anti-microbial agent, its’s best to switch out the water every 2-3 days, or when it gets cloudy.
The big chill
When temperatures climb into the 30’s (and even 40’s) even the hardiest of flowers will start to suffer. Don’t worry too much as they will often recover somewhat during the evening. To best shield them you might want to consider taking them into an air-conditioned room or even placing them in the fridge. Most flowers love chilling out in the fridge for a few hours and will generally perk up quite a bit. Just remember, don’t store your flowers alongside apples as the ethylene gas that they release as they ripen will cause your flowers to wilt.
Shock and awe
Sometimes extreme cases call for extreme measures. If your flowers are already badly wilted then it may be possible to revive them by dunking their stems in hot (but not boiling) water for a few minutes, followed by a bath in cool water. This tends to work best with blooms that have tougher, woody stems. Aside from this shock treatment we do not recommend subjecting flowers to water warmer than 35 degrees as this can kill stem tissue speed up bacteria growth.
Australian natives
Through the long summer months nothing holds up better than Australian natives. Not only do they look sophisticated and distinctive but they have evolved over millennia to withstand our dry, hot climate. Check out displays containing grevillias, proteas, paper daisies, banksias and leucdodendrons. They may be a little bit more expensive up front but they will look stunning for days and even weeks to come.
Downsize
All flowers will fade sooner or later but that doesn’t mean you need to throw away the entire bouquet straight away. Try transferring the stems that are still healthy into small bud vases and displaying them in small groupings.