Best Practices for Managing Fresh Flowers
Flowers that are cut fresh and receive the best care possible from the time they are cut to the time they're delivered to the consumer will have the best chance of lasting as long as possible.
Flowers that last the longest typically come from a certain range of varieties, are kept sanitized, and are accompanied with flower food when delivered to the customer. Different varieties of flowers have different lifespans. The vase life of roses ranges from 3 to 21 days. The UF Department of Environmental Horticulture recommends that breeders, growers, wholesalers, and retailers should regularly test vase life of different flowers to make sure that the longest lasting varieties are available to the marketplace.
The life of a fresh-cut flower depends on when the flower is harvested and what variety of flower it is. Roses, glads, and some lilies last the longest when they are cut when their buds are just starting to open. Chrysanthemums and carnations last longest if they are cut when their buds are half open. It's important for cut flowers to receive fresh water at their different stages of transportation from the grower to the distributor to the retailer.
Hydration solutions contain a number of different components. These components have different functions. They lower pH, kill microorganisms on the stems and help to facilitate water uptake. It's important that freshly made hydration solutions are used as well as clean, sanitized water and buckets. Flowers will stay fresh longer if they are hydrated at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours. If they are being held in the cooler, then they need to be hydrated for longer.
Microbes in hydration solutions can reduce vase life and quality. High microbe levels can clog stems and reduce the free flow of water up the stems. Often retailers will recut flower stems to improve water uptake. This is actually only effective if the water is clean and there is no bacteria in it. Stems cut dry are fine but should be immediately put into water. When flowers are packed for transportation they should be as dry as possible. Leaves, stems and petals should be as moisture free as possible.
It's best for flowers to be packed in coolers that are kept at temperatures of 36 to 38°F. It's also best for flowers to not be moved back-and-forth from the cooler to room temperature and back to the cooler. This creates condensation on the stems in the shipping boxes. A certain kind of paper can minimize the occurrence of the Botrytis if the paper is placed in the flower boxes. This paper is called chlorine dioxide releasing paper.
It's important that equipment and containers used in the process of cutting flowers, storing and shipping them are cleaned and sanitized. This includes buckets, scissors, blades, tables, tools, vases, coolers and working areas. It's also important that fresh solutions are used for each batch and kind of flower handled. Buckets and containers should be cleaned with antibacterial products before any solutions are added to the containers. Professional floral bucket cleaners are available. If these are not on hand, bleach, kitchen sanitizer or chlorine dioxide serves as a good substitute.
It's important that temperature control is in effect for producing long-lasting flowers. The best air temperature for most cut flowers is 33 ° to 35 °. Tropical flowers need a higher storing temperature. Typically orchids and ginger and Anthurium need storage temperatures between 50° and 55° F. Storing flowers in cool air minimizes the growth of microbes in storage solutions. It also minimizes plant metabolism and ethylene sensitivity.
If possible, flowers should be displayed in cool temperatures also. If flowers are displayed at temperatures above 50°, this can decrease their vase life by 30 to 50%. Customers should always be given flower food when they pick up flowers or receive delivered flowers. Flower food extends the vase life of cut flowers.
This information comes from a Special Research Report #449 by T.A. Nell, R.T. Leonard, and A.M. Alexander, biological scientists, from the Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Gainesville, Florida.
Flowers that last the longest typically come from a certain range of varieties, are kept sanitized, and are accompanied with flower food when delivered to the customer. Different varieties of flowers have different lifespans. The vase life of roses ranges from 3 to 21 days. The UF Department of Environmental Horticulture recommends that breeders, growers, wholesalers, and retailers should regularly test vase life of different flowers to make sure that the longest lasting varieties are available to the marketplace.
The life of a fresh-cut flower depends on when the flower is harvested and what variety of flower it is. Roses, glads, and some lilies last the longest when they are cut when their buds are just starting to open. Chrysanthemums and carnations last longest if they are cut when their buds are half open. It's important for cut flowers to receive fresh water at their different stages of transportation from the grower to the distributor to the retailer.
Hydration solutions contain a number of different components. These components have different functions. They lower pH, kill microorganisms on the stems and help to facilitate water uptake. It's important that freshly made hydration solutions are used as well as clean, sanitized water and buckets. Flowers will stay fresh longer if they are hydrated at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours. If they are being held in the cooler, then they need to be hydrated for longer.
Microbes in hydration solutions can reduce vase life and quality. High microbe levels can clog stems and reduce the free flow of water up the stems. Often retailers will recut flower stems to improve water uptake. This is actually only effective if the water is clean and there is no bacteria in it. Stems cut dry are fine but should be immediately put into water. When flowers are packed for transportation they should be as dry as possible. Leaves, stems and petals should be as moisture free as possible.
It's best for flowers to be packed in coolers that are kept at temperatures of 36 to 38°F. It's also best for flowers to not be moved back-and-forth from the cooler to room temperature and back to the cooler. This creates condensation on the stems in the shipping boxes. A certain kind of paper can minimize the occurrence of the Botrytis if the paper is placed in the flower boxes. This paper is called chlorine dioxide releasing paper.
It's important that equipment and containers used in the process of cutting flowers, storing and shipping them are cleaned and sanitized. This includes buckets, scissors, blades, tables, tools, vases, coolers and working areas. It's also important that fresh solutions are used for each batch and kind of flower handled. Buckets and containers should be cleaned with antibacterial products before any solutions are added to the containers. Professional floral bucket cleaners are available. If these are not on hand, bleach, kitchen sanitizer or chlorine dioxide serves as a good substitute.
It's important that temperature control is in effect for producing long-lasting flowers. The best air temperature for most cut flowers is 33 ° to 35 °. Tropical flowers need a higher storing temperature. Typically orchids and ginger and Anthurium need storage temperatures between 50° and 55° F. Storing flowers in cool air minimizes the growth of microbes in storage solutions. It also minimizes plant metabolism and ethylene sensitivity.
If possible, flowers should be displayed in cool temperatures also. If flowers are displayed at temperatures above 50°, this can decrease their vase life by 30 to 50%. Customers should always be given flower food when they pick up flowers or receive delivered flowers. Flower food extends the vase life of cut flowers.
This information comes from a Special Research Report #449 by T.A. Nell, R.T. Leonard, and A.M. Alexander, biological scientists, from the Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Gainesville, Florida.
