Tips to keep your flowers happier, longer.
Yay! You've just received flowers from Harmony Harvest Farm! You flowers were harvested right from our fields within the past few days, so they're a little different from the ones you would get from other delivery services, the grocery store, or a florist. Because they're shipped directly from the farm, your flowers don't go through a long chain of stops to get to you, these flowers are truly FRESH!
Not to worry, you don’t have to be a master botanist to keep your flowers happy! Here's a quick guide on caring from fresh cut flowers that will ensure they live longer and keep the smiles going.
I just got flowers, now what?
Step 1: Free the Flowers!
Be sure to unpack your flowers as soon as you get them! Your flowers leave the farm around 6:00 pm the night before they arrive to you. Until then, they're kept in our crispy cooler so that they're nice and cold for their journey. During their trip, they may end up in a hot truck or plane which is why we include ice packs in every box to keep them as comfortable as possible. Some people can be sensitive to flowers and not know it, which is why we recommend washing your hands after handling the flowers
Step 2: Water, Water, Water!
Once your flowers are out of the box, prepare a vase (or vases) by filling them with fresh, cool water. Grab the flower food from the envelope attached to your box lid and sprinkle some of the flower food into the water. You don't need to use the whole packet! Save some flower food to use throughout the life of your flowers.
Step 3: Remove the Hydration Packs
A hydration pack is a fancy way to say baggie and foam. Remove this from the flowers and set aside. Protip: these can be reused or sent back to us! See below for more information.
Step 4: Give Them A Fresh Snip
Grab a sharp pair of scissors (or snips if you have them) and give each stem a fresh, diagonal cut. Cutting at an angle is important because the stems are like straws, and a diagonal cut allows them to drink more water and prevents them from sitting flush against the bottom of your vase and not being able to drink.
Step 5: Relax. Recharge. Re-hydrate.
You know how you feel like you need a vacation after a vacation? Travel can take it's toll on flowers, just like it does on humans! Some flowers may arrive stressed, but will quickly bounce back after re-hydrating for 12-24 hours. We understand things happen, which is why we always pack extra flowers in the box.
Step 6: Create!
After your flowers have had a chance to re-hydrate, it's time to get creative! Yes, you can leave the flowers in the original vase you prepared when you opened the box, but don't be afraid to arrange something! It's easier than you think! If you bought flowers with the intention of designing with them, it's critical to allow them to hydrate for 12-24 hours before you design.
Processing Flowers 101: A guide to unboxing.
For a demonstration of how to unpack you flowers, watch our Flower Processing 101 video! Full disclosure, we're farmers, not video editors - but hey, we try!
How do I keep my flowers happy?
Since these flowers are fresh cut, we expect most of them to last up to a week. Not all flowers have the same vase life, so here's a few tips to stretch your flower bliss out as long as you can.
-
Before you arrange, remove any foliage (leaves) that will fall below the water line. This extra greenery will mucky your water and create bacteria.
-
Keep your blooms out of direct sunlight. While they flourish in direct sun while they're on the plant, once they've been cut they turn on their ray-filled friend and do better with indirect light. Protip: Try to keep them away from heat sources as well. Dry heat will make them crisp up pretty quickly.
-
Change the water daily, or as often as you remember. If you still have some of that flower food, sprinkle a little more in with every water change. Protip: Don't panic if you're out of food and don't worry about all those tricks your grandma has for feeding flowers. Literally the best thing for them is fresh water on a regular basis. Trust us.
-
Give your stems a fresh cut when you change the water. You might notice the stems getting weaker at the bottom, so trim off any icky bits before putting them in fresh water.
-
Check your arrangement every day and remove wilted blooms. Flowers that have been "called home" will add bacteria to the water and flowers that are still going strong really hate bacteria. Protip: If you've gone a few days without removing wilted blooms, grab a fresh vase, or wash your vase with mild soap to remove any "gunk" that might be stuck to the vase.
Can I, or my pets eat the flowers?
That's a hard no. We strongly recommend keeping the flowers away from pets as some can be poisonous to them. If you, or your furry friend ingests or has an adverse reaction to the flowers, consult with a medical professional immediately.
We said it earlier, but we'll say it again...we recommend washing your hands after handling flowers. Some people may have sensitivities and a good hand washing can help minimize irritation.
This advice has been approved by our farm dog, Cassie. She enjoys smelling and romping through the flowers, but not eating them.
What should I do with the left over hydration packs?
Great question! These packs have lots of great uses, here's a few that we've come up with!
-
If you're taking flowers to a friend far away, or need to make a few stops on your way to someone close by, use the hydration packs to keep your flowers hydrated while they travel.
-
Tuck some fresh flowers into a shaded door wreath, wall hanging, or a container that doesn't hold water, using the hydration pack as the water source. Note: They won't last long with the water in the packs, so this is meant to be super temporary. It's pretty much perfect for when you want to jazz up a few areas during a dinner party.
-
Return them! Yep, we'll take them back! If you'd like to return your hydration pack, contact us at info@hhfshop.com and we'll send you a return package.
If you do plan to reuse the hydration packs, be sure to clean them first. The bags can be cleaned with mild soap, and the foam can be sterilized in the dishwasher during your next load!
I'm a flower beginner, any tips on arranging?
Yes! Funny story, Harmony Harvest Farm is owned by two sister and their mom. One of the sisters, Jessica, is a professionally trained and very talented designer. Her mom and sister, on the other hand, lack all creative ability and are the definitely of novice designers. To help you learn how to arrange with flowers, we created a video series call "Designing with an Idiot" where Jessica teaches you the basic of floral design.
We're always adding new videos, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more tutorials on using fresh cut flowers.
I'm still lost, I have problems with my order, or I just need help in general.
We're here for you! Feel free to email us at info@hhfshop.com and we're happy to help. You can also call us at 800.218.8152.