Storage

Storage Conditions

There are a number of factors that can impact a flower shelf life. One being storage; where will the flowers be stored during the conditioning?

Cut flowers will fade at a faster rate if the capillary system inside the cut flower (known as the xylem) gets clogged up with air, bacteria or direct particles from lazy bucket cleaners. The capillaries also close up when the cut flower is stressed from poor storage conditions like heat or low moisture.

The capillary action works in plants through osmosis. However, if the chemical, dissolved salts, or pH is off balance in your storage water, this can prevent osmosis from starting, and the water uptake will stall.

Commercial Use

At commercial level, it is important to have access to proper refrigeration to help extend the vase life of flowers. This can reduce the respiration and the water loss from the flowers.

Refrigeration can keep the flowers at their peak longer by delaying further development and bud opening.

Most flowers should be stored at refrigeration temperature between 5 to 8 degrees. There are however, certain flowers that do not require refrigeration and can in fact be damaged such as tropical flowers and anthuriums. Be sure to look at our flower guides for more specific information.

Home Studio (work from home)

Make sure you have a space in your home, whether it be an outdoor shed, studio or room indoors to make space for all of your equipment, space to store the flowers and containers.

For storing the flowers, there are ways that you can store the flowers without using a cooler.

• Identify a cool, dark spot in your space and prep the space. For example, a guest bedroom or a bathroom. Make sure it is well ventilated, away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
• Prep your buckets of water with water and other flower care products such as flower food and quick dip.

Whilst conditioning the flowers, it is important to attend to your flowers, refresh and assess. Different cut flowers have different nutritional needs and opening times, so it is important that you do some research if you are unsure about the flowers.

Home Use

If you are storing the flowers at home it can be hard to enjoy the flowers if they are in a refrigerator. If you position the flowers out be seen and enjoyed, there are few factors to consider that can cause the flowers to fade and wilt quicker: if displayed in warm area, in a draft, in direct sunlight or near a direct heat such as radiators.

If possible to help extend the shelf life, to remove the flowers from the warm area at night into a cool, low lit environment.

Do not store the flowers in a domestic refrigerator as this can in fact shorten the flower shelf life. The refrigerators do not have the same humidity levels of a cooler and they are filled with foods that give off chemicals that can be detrimental to the flowers. Decaying or ripening fruits and vegetables can shorten the shelf life of flowers.