How To Care For Your Cut Flowers Arranged In Floral Foam

Have you ever felt the disappointment of a stunning floral arrangement fading too soon? Fear not, as we're here to share some fresh insights and tricks to ensure your cut flowers arranged in floral foam stand the test of time.

Let's debunk the myth that taking care of cut flowers is a daunting task. Even if you're not a seasoned gardener, a little attention to water levels and ambient room temperature can go a long way.

Now, let's delve into the realm of Floral Foam arrangements:

In our experience, flowers arranged in Floral Foam tend to outlast those designed in a vase with water, provided the foam stays consistently moist, and the flowers remain undisturbed. Think of floral foam as a sponge, with flowers absorbing water from it. Brands like Oasis and Aquafoam are our go-to choices for floral foam.

Here's a quick guide to ensure your floral foam arrangements flourish:

- Keep the floral foam consistently wet, and don't forget to dissolve flower food in the water. Add around 1/2 cup of fresh water every 2-3 days to keep your flowers hydrated and thriving. When adding water, find a spot on the back of the arrangement and pour it gently onto the foam. Ensure the foam stays wet, but avoid spilling water on furniture. You can use a clean turkey baster for this so as not to move the flowers.

It will never hurt to add more water as often as you like, the worst thing that can happen is that it might overflow.

When floral foam is wet it has a different color than when it is dry:

Left: wet floral foam (darker), Right: dry floral foam (lighter)

- Don't move the flowers (second most important tip) during water replenishment, as doing so can create an air bubble between the end of the stem and the foam, hindering water intake and leading to a shorter lifespan.

- Never pour water directly into flowers, as excess moisture can cause mold and hasten the demise of the entire arrangement.

If you receive one of our unique flower arrangements that looks like the one below, scroll down for a picture that shows how it's built.

We sometimes include one flower inside the vase that will have water for as long as it needs it so you only need to add water to the top part where the foam is.

This is how the arrangement looks without the flowers and this is the foam that needs to be always wet.

Now that you're well-versed in the art of floral foam, let's come back to the general tips for keeping your cut flowers fresher for longer:

1. Shield your flowers from direct sunlight and air currents, as they prefer cool, dark places.
   

2. Maintain a cool room temperature to extend the lifespan of your arrangement.

3. Change the water every 3-4 days or when it becomes cloudy, and always dissolve flower food following package guidelines. In the case of cut flowers designed in floral foam, just add more water to the foam to keep it always wet.

4. Remove wilted flowers and petals every 3-4 days to prevent bacteria from harming the healthy ones but don't move the healthy flowers around in the foam to avoid air bubbles.

5. Keep your arrangement away from electronic devices and heat-producing appliances.

6. Steer clear of placing flowers near food or fruits, as they release ethylene, causing faster maturation and a shorter lifespan.

In conclusion, embrace the beauty of cut flowers without fear. Create a cozy ambiance in your home, office, or favorite spot by following these simple yet effective tips. Share your flower care hacks in the comments below and share this post with someone who needs help!

8 Benefits of Having Plants and Flowers Near You

Plants and fresh flowers not only look good in any shelf or corner; have you ever wondered what are some benefits of having them in your home?

Here is a list of 8 benefits of having plants and flowers near you:

1) Plants Provide a Natural Fragrance

It's the most basic benefit of all, as well as by which many flowers and plants are distinguished. When we want to give our home or work a very pleasant aroma, an easy and beautiful way to do this is to use flowers.

It is very important to take into account that flowers' scent is natural, therefore better, since deodorizers sold in stores may contain some negative health effects, in addition to the fact that most are a significant source of contamination.

Plants and flowers, decorate the place where they are and also, provide a natural and safe aroma.

Some of the most fragrant flowers are lilies, stock, some varieties of roses, and peonies.

2) Flowers and Plants Improve Your Mood and Can Help Against Depression

We all know that the act of sending and receiving flowers strengthens the bonds in relationships. The gesture of sending flowers can mean many things, both as an act of friendship or love. In our experience, we can assure you that it is a very beautiful way to express yourself. People who receive flowers can experience a huge wave of feelings, from empathy, happiness, joy and even love.

For people suffering from depression, flowers are not only a distraction in their daily routine, but they're also a reminder that there are people who love and care about them, and who hope they will recover soon.

Taking care of plants, like watering them, pruning them, and watching them sprout or bloom is a highly therapeutic process and can make people feel better.

What are you waiting for to send get-well flowers?

3) Plants Increase Relaxation and Good Moods

The emotional benefits of plants and flowers are due to their color and fragrance.

Surely you've heard that colors influence our mood. Well, the same thing happens with flowers. For example, soft colors tend to calm us, while the more intense ones tend to increase our perception of energy.

In terms of aroma, flowers tend to get us in a good mood and relax us. Lavender is well-known for its relaxing benefits, as well as chamomile, and some other flowers which are highly used for therapeutic purposes.

So if you want to evoke feelings of sympathy, choose light or pastel colors, but if you need to evoke love or passion choose darker colors like red or burgundy.

4) Plants Purify The Air

As we know, through the process of photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the environment and transform it into oxygen, which complements the respiratory process of humans, since we need oxygen and we exhale carbon dioxide.

This is how plants improve the quality of the air we have inside our home.

Send a plant as a get-well gift from our selection; succulents and orchids are also great at cleansing the air and removing toxins!

5) Plants Help Us Breathe Better

As part of their nature, plants provide humidity to the environment, which is reflected in the reduction of levels of dryness in the environment and dust particles in our home.

With this, respiratory problems such as coughing can be avoided. Keep in mind that some plants, like lilies, and very fragrant ones, can provoke allergies. So if this is your case, you might want to choose hypoallergenic plants like orchids, and succulents which provide the same benefits.

6) Plants and Flowers Help Reduce Feelings of Fatigue

Plants remove smoke, pathogenic and volatile microorganisms, and capture dust, reducing their presence in the air by up to 20%. With this cleansing, the feeling of fatigue that we experience when we are in a charged atmosphere, is reduced.

There is a detailed explanation on this from The National Center for Biotechnology Information that literally says "The use of indoor plants could prove to be a cost-efficient way of indoor air-purification that could be adapted for a variety of environments with no need for special requirements and can also add an aesthetic value that can have an indirect impact on human health".

7) Plants Reduce Noise

Plants absorb sounds especially in closed places and with hard floors, thus reducing noise pollution and generating a double benefit since they also clean the air. There are many places that are researching this benefit like The Gardening Know How, who recommends using plants around your home as sound blockers.

8) Plants Increase Productivity at Work

Studies have shown that working with plants around us help decrease absenteeism and increase employee efficiency and productivity.

Now that we are working from home and have more time to take care for them, what are you waiting for?

If you're not very good with plants or are just starting, a good plant for beginners is the Snake Plant or Sansevieria. Snake plants, in our experience, require the minimum amount of attention. They can survive in dark places and don't require much sunlight. Other kinds of succulents are good to start too.

So don't hesitate much longer and buy yourself some plants, and in a while, your boss will be more relaxed and in a better mood, due to your improved productivity.

Warning: plants don't work magic, but they do help.

​How to Water and Get Your Orchid to Re-Bloom

Are you struggling to keep your orchids alive and blooming? Learn the essential watering techniques and tips to help your orchids thrive in this detailed guide.

I know you’re here just to know how to water and make your orchids re-bloom (click here to jump to how to re-bloom orchids), correct? So, let’s cut straight to the chase:

There are four important things that, in our opinion, you need to do for your orchid to re-bloom. I’ve noticed that once orchids rebloom, they’re not as spectacular as when you first got them, but they will still be incredibly beautiful.

These are some of the methods that have worked for us:

1) Sunlight

Your orchid needs enough sunlight. Harsh sunlight will cause orchids to burn and discolor its leaves, not enough sunlight will prevent them from re-blooming and rot. I like to place my orchids in a south facing window all winter and then in an east or northwest facing window during the summer.

A good rule is that the larger the leaves, the less light it needs.

2) Water

You need to water your orchid regularly but without overwatering it; the soil must feel moist but not wet. Really check the soil before you add more water, let it get dry, wait between 7-10 days every time you add more water (time will vary depending on the humidity of their environment, so feel the soil at least 1-2 inches deep and check if its dry and if it needs water).

You do not want the soil to be very wet otherwise, your orchid will tend to rot.

If the pot doesn't have drainage, make sure the roots are not under water, flip it upside down if necessary to get out any excess water.

You can also mist the leaves every now and then to keep them fresh and strong.

The water you use should ideally be lukewarm or at room temperature.

There are many ways to water orchids but these are two that work best for us:

- If you can remove the orchid from the decorative pot while it still has a plastic container or if the decorative pot has a drainage: fill the decorative pot with water and let the orchid soak for about 20 minutes, then remove the orchid from the water and let it drain completely before placing it back in the decorative pot. If you use this method, you will only need to repeat this process once or twice a month, depending on environment conditions as explained before.

- If you can't remove the orchid from the decorative container because it is part of a tropical dish garden or if the decorative container doesn't have a drainage: add about 1/2 cup (4 oz) of water per plant only when it needs it or place an ice cube on each plant's roots and let it melt. If you use this method you will need to repeat it every week or as often as needed, whenever their soil gets dry.

3) Temperature

Orchids need warm temperatures to thrive. This is particularly important for orchids to re-bloom, for them to be happy in the temperature of the environment they’re in. There are three different adviced temperatures for orchid's varieties. So, depending on the type of orchid you have the wide range will be from 65 F to 90 F, but be sure that the temperature of the environment is correct for the specific type of orchid that you have.

Warm Temperature. Ideal for Vanda & Phalaenopsis Orchids. Nighttime from 65 F and up. Daytime from 75 F to 90 F.

Vanda Orchid

Phalaenopsis Orchid

Intermediate Temperature. Ideal for Cattleya & Paphiopedilum Orchids. Nighttime from 55 F to 60 F. Daytime from 70 F to 80 F.

Cattleya Orchid

Paphiopedilum Orchid

Cool Temperature. Ideal for Cymbidium & Dendrobium Orchids. Nighttime from 45 F to 55 F. Daytime from 60 F to 70 F.

Cymbidium Orchid

Dendrobium Orchid

The warmer the temperature you keep your orchid in, the more often you may need to water it if the humidity is also low.

Also, keep them away from drafts and heat sources, these will dry them out and make them die faster.

4) Food

Lastly, to get your orchids to re-bloom you need to feed them orchid food on a regular basis, every two weeks is ideal. Check label instructions for accurate measurements.

The Most Important Secret For Re-Blooming Orchids

First, make sure to keep watering and taking care of your plant even after all the flowers are gone.

Then, there are two ways of getting your orchids to re-bloom, since they re-bloom in two different ways:

1) Wait until the last bloom drops and cut the stem down to two nodes (the brown bands along the spike) below where its last growth was, and it might bloom again on the same stem.

2) Once your orchid drops all of its blooms let the entire stem get brown and cut it all the way at the base where it meets the plant (if it doesn't turn brown, don't cut it, it might re-bloom on the same stem).

Eventually, the energy will tend to go back into the plant and that is why it turns brown and why you need to wait for it to be completely brown, so the entire energy goes back into the roots and it recovers enough energy to grow back stronger in several months. Your plant will generate a new spike and re-bloom on it!

You can alternate these two ways of cutting the stem, so your plant gets stronger with each blooming.

It is also a clever idea to re-pot your orchid with orchid potting mix once all the blooms drop and the stem dries out.

If your plant is ready to move on, it might also generate a new plant out of the last spike before dying, I currently have a plant trying to do this and will post pictures once she's finished!

To sum up, orchids need intermediate sunlight, little water, warm room temperature, and regular orchid food.

I hope this info helps you take better care of your orchids, and you’re able to make them re-bloom! If you have any comments or questions, leave them below!

Conctact us for sending an orchid in Gaithersburg, MD or surrounding cities. We have different options to choose from!