11 March 2024 , 12:05
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If you've been spoiled with lavish bouquets for Mother's Day - make sure you avoid these common mistakes that will quickly ruin your blooms.
With around 23 million flowers sold yesterday, mums across the nation will still be admiring the beautiful blooms they received from their kids. But even if you're regularly changing their water, removing dead stems and feeding them every few days - flowers can quickly start to wilt.
If you've noticed your flowers are already starting to droop or discolour, it's probably because you've been storing them in the wrong place. Luckily, a flower gifting expert has shared the best way to keep your bouquets fresh for longer and avoid 'accelerating' the wilting process.
"Whilst a bouquet may look lovely on display on your windowsill, we would never advise placing your flowers anywhere which may receive direct sunlight," said Amy Greenshields of cardfactory. "Not only can the flowers get dehydrated, accelerating their deterioration, but some delicate blooms may even experience discolouration of their petals."
The expert also warned that 'any artificial sources of heat should be avoided'. So, keep your blooms away from the radiator to prevent them from dehydrating and ageing.
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"Even heat generated from electronic devices and appliances such as TVs and microwaves, can cause flowers to wilt faster," Greenshields added. In fact, the best place to store your flowers overnight is either in your garage or fridge, as cold temperatures will help 'slow down the ageing process '.
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Another common mistake people make is placing their flowers next to your fruit bowl. Yes, it may look pretty and draw one's attention to the fact you eat healthily from time to time, but it could also wreck your blooms.
"The reason cut flowers droop is often caused by an overproduction of the growth hormone ethylene," the expert explains. "Common fruits such as bananas and apples produce high levels of ethylene which, being a gaseous hormone, can influence the ageing process of plants nearby. Keeping your flowers close to these fruits may accelerate wilting and cause petals to drop.”
How do you keep your flowers fresh? Let us know your top hacks in the comments section below