The most popular questions we get from our DIY floral customers, should I put the flowers in water? Fresh cut wholesale flowers are living entitles and need water to survive. It is vital to unbox all your flowers and greens as soon as you receive your box to preserve their freshness and quality. Here are a few quick, easy steps to help with preparing fresh cut wholesale flowers as soon as they arrive.
Before your fresh cut flowers arrive gather together different size flower buckets and make sure they are clean. Rinse them out with clean, warm water. If the buckets are dirty, they can affect the health of your flowers. Fill the buckets at approximately 4 inches with fresh water. Depending on the flower or green will depend on the size bucket you will need. We recommend having different size buckets for rehydration.
Opening your box of Wholesale Flowers
When your fresh cut flowers arrive from Blooms By The Box this is what it will look like inside the box. The flowers are tightly wrapped in the insulated liner to preserve freshness and keep the flowers and greenery safe during delivery.
Remove fresh-cut flowers and Greenery from the box
We recommend to prep and prepare your flowers and rehydrate them in water as soon as they arrive. During transit from our growers, your fresh cut flowers have been without water in a state of “suspended animation” for many hours. Do not panic if they appear wilted or limp. You are receiving them in the same way that a florist would. To bring your fresh cut flowers to peak health and beauty, they must be re-hydrated. Remove all the flowers from the box. Depending on the type of flowers you ordered, each bunch of flowers has its own unique packaging to make sure they stay safe and secure during delivery. Learn more about, What to Expect When Expecting Wholesale Flowers.
Remove all packaging from flowers and greenery
Remove all protective packaging, protective sleeves, netting, and cardboard from your flowers and greenery. The ever-popular hydrangea has a very tough woody stem which makes them a challenge to pack tightly. Because flowers need water all the time too, these flowers have a small plastic bag on the stem with water for the journey. Be careful when unwrapping the flowers and greenery.
Wholesale fresh cut roses are shipped in bunches of 25 and are rolled very tightly with paper, cardboard, and plastic to protect the blooms. The growers will leave on the outer protective guard petals, thorns and all leaves which must be removed prior to arranging.
Preparing your fresh cut flowers for rehydration
Preparing your fresh cut wholesale flowers for rehydration is very important. All flower stems must be re-cut to enable the absorption of water. Remove all foliage that will be below the water level. If this foliage is left on the stem it will decompose in the vase. If possible, cut underwater or under running water. Cut at least one inch from the bottom of the stem at a 45-degree angle. Remove all foliage that will be under the vase or container water line to delay bacteria growth.
Place flowers and greenery in buckets
Immediately place your fresh cut flowers into the prepared buckets filled with water. Be careful not to overcrowd the buckets. Store them at room temperature and away from drafts or direct sunlight to let them drink and recover. This process may take up to 12 hours. If any stems still appear wilted, re-cut following the above directions. If you want to slow the re-hydrating & blooming process for a day or two, use cool water and store flowers in a cool, dark place (Do not store in a refrigerator). The humidity and temperature of household refrigerators are different from a floral fridge.
Read more about, Preparation and Care for your flowers.
Tina Merola
As a professional designer with over twenty years of industry experience, Tina's lifelong creative passion has enabled her to pursue her artistry and vision in various professional environments. Drawing on her knowledge from floral techniques and tips from the industry’s leading professionals allows her the opportunity to channel her love of the unique beauty of nature’s many wondrous blooms into stunning floral designs.
