Flowers. Fresh Flowers. The Care and Handling of Cut Flowers.

Carry fresh flowers with buds downward directed.
Present fresh flowers with buds upward directed.
You may leave fresh flowers in the wrapping but it is recommended that you remove this wrapping and place cut flowers into a flower vase. Take care when removing it as this may damage your fresh flowers. Never mix fresh flowers with older flowers. Do not place fresh flowers in an unlined metal vase. Iron together with a preservative causes a high level of acidity, metal will oxidize; this will negatively influence the fresh flowers. Avoid storing fresh flowers too close together; otherwise they will grow mouldy. Cut 1-3cms of the bottom of the stems at an angle of 45 degrees with clean, sharp knife/shears/secateurs (the best of all would be a knife) to open up water intake channels which close when the stem is dry. Remove any leaves which will be below the water line to retard bacteria growth. Keeping away from draughts, tobacco smoke, ethylene, direct heat or sunlight will prolong cut flower life. Avoid leaving cut flowers in a warm room overnight. Extend their life by putting them in the coldest room while you are asleep.
Do not use fresh tap water. Give it some time; meanwhile put wrapped fresh flowers at the bottom of the refrigerator. Soft water (rain-water, snow and distilled) prolongs vase life of cut flowers.
Regularly refill the water, carefully washing away slime, and cut 1-3 cms of the bottom of the stems at an angle daily. It would be better to cut flowers under water to prevent from "gulping" in air instead of water. The air bubbles can decrease cut flower life and promote premature wilting or bending of the cut flowers. You may add to water fresh flower solution. In hot weather refill the water more often or add small bits of ice, and bits of charcoal or 1 tea spoon of salt per liter of water.
Timely remove wilting flowers.

The following tricks will ensure maximum endurance and beauty from cut flowers:

• Dahlia, chrysanthemum and hydrangea care: Cut/break off dahlia, chrysanthemum and hydrangea in a hot water, leave them approx for 5 minutes there. Then put in cold water.
• Woody stemmed and semi-woody stems plants care: To enlarge an absorption surface split the bottom of the woody stemmed plants (e.g. lilac, rose, willow, hydrangea) and semi-woody stems plants (e.g. chrysanthemum), and strip it of the bark (~5 cm above the place of splitting).
• Flowers which exude milky substance, when cut Put fresh cut flowers (e.g. euphorbia, poppy) in a flower vase with warm water. In this way milk will not congeal and plug up vessels which conduct the water. Be careful, milky substance can be an irritant if it comes into contact with the skin.
• Herbers care: The stems of herbers are very fragile, therefore choose a tall flower vase. Fill in a flower vase with warm water. One-third full is enough to delay slime and spoiling.  To increase the absorption of water pierce stems with a needle. Often recut stems. Because the slime plug up vessels which conduct the water and cause growth of bacteria, stems become soft and rot away. Add sugar to the water (2 tea spoons per liter of water).
• Asters care: It is recommended to put asters stems in solution (1/2 tea spoon per liter of water) overnight, cut stems previously. You may revive asters with warm water. Flower vase life is about14 days.
• Tulips should be of a certain colour; otherwise they won’t unfold in the flower vase. Keep in mind, if tulips’ buds are very small, it generally means they have been cut too soon. Cut the white end of the stem if there is, as water can only be absorbed through the green part of the stem. Tulips like fresh cool water and cool location. Fill the flower vase only one-third full; refill daily to that level. Sugar will lengthen tulips’ life.
• Peonies care: Incise slightly peonies stems (~5 cm). Then put them in cool water. You may revive peonies by dipping bottom of the stems for several seconds into alcohol. Flower vase life is about a week.
• Narcissuses care: Try to buy narcissuses matured. Make a couple incisions or scratch stems with a needle before putting fresh flowers in a vase. Sugar will lengthen narcissuses’ life. As narcissuses promote a harmful for other flowers slime, avoid placing them in an arrangement with others. Flower vase life depends on the species and grade.
• Hyacinth care: Don’t cut off flower bulbs of the hyacinth, as they speed up the rate of water absorbtion. Wash flower bulbs and stems thoroughly with fresh clean water. Add sugar. Flower vase life is about 5 days.
• Rose care: choose roses that haven't had their thorns removed. A tight rose probably won't ever open. If roses were out of water for more than an hour, place them in a tub or in a tall flower vase of fresh cold water up to buds flower for one hour at least. To prolong vase life add 1/2 aspirin tablet per liter of water. Right care of roses lengthens flower vase life up to 10 days.
• Lily care: Keep lily away from sources of ethylene, which speeds up wilting (e.g., exhaust fumes, ripe fruits). Flower vase life is about a week.
• Carnations care: Cut the carnations’ stems under water above joint. Add sugar to water (1-2 bits). You may add alcohol or 1/3 aspirin tablet to water. Fully opened carnations will last four to five days. You can revive wilted carnations by putting stems in a hot water (~50°C) for 30-60 seconds.
• Orchids care Purchasing orchids make sure the edges of the fresh flowers’ bloom have no transparency and there is no any hint of browning in the center. Put them into warm water. Orchid is very sensitive to temperature fluctuation, draughts and ethylene.
• Gladiolus care: When purchasing gladiolus look at the bottom buds. They should be coloured. Upper buds open in cool water. If you remove the topmost bud flowers, unfolding of others becomes slower. Prior to putting the fresh flowers into a vase, scratch stems slightly. Add to water one of the following substances (per liter of water): activated charcoal or aspirin (1 crushed tablet), liquid ammonia or camphor-alcohol (several drops), citric acid or potassium permanganate (several crystals), salt (1 tea spoon), pinch of salt + 1 tea spoon of sugar.
• Iris care: It would be best of all to purchase iris when the flower is just barely beginning to open. Try to put iris in cool water ASAP. Don’t forget cut off the dried up part of a stem. Be careful to not bump the tips of the irises. Add sugar to water to promote blossoming. Typical flower vase life for iris is about 3-4 days.