4 Secrets for Getting Cut Flowers to Open Quickly

Why in the world would you want fresh flowers to open up quickly?

 

via Pretty Little Flower

 

Perhaps you're having a dinner party and want those roses to look full and beautiful. Or you're taking pictures to post online and you want them to look great.

 

via Tremolo

No matter what the reason, there are ways to make it happen. Here are a few things you should know before you begin:

• Flowers that are forced open will not last as long as flowers that are allowed to open naturally.Why? Because you're interfering with the natural order of things.
• Not all types of flowers can be forced open. 
• Some flowers take a long time to open even when you force them   
• Note: This post is about forcing cut flowers to open, not flower bulbs.
• Flowers that are harvested too early, such as roses, have extremely tight buds that may never open. Make sure the color of the flower is visible on every bud and that there is some space between the petals.

 

Monica Aguinaga

Before you begin this process, notice how the flower looks when it opens naturally. You can either look at pictures of the flower online or visit a flower shop. Knowing what the flower is supposed to look like is a crucial step in this process. 

4 Secrets for Forcing Fresh Flowers to Open:

1. Cut the stems of the flowers on an angle and place them in warm water containing flower preservative. I said warm, people. Not hot. Not lukewarm either. Just nice and warm. Hot will damage the precious blooms. Flowers like asiatic lilies will open quickly in warm water. Other varieties can take several hours or even a week to open. This approach works well with most rose varieties. 

2. Open the blooms manually. Look at the flower and observe the way the petals are formed. If you gently move the flower petals a little at a time you can get it too look as though it opened naturally. The trick here is to do it slowly and carefully. Roses and carnations can be opened this way.

3. Blow into the flower. When I first became a florist I used to do this from time to time for events. I now buy my flowers well enough in advance so the flowers can open naturally. Sometimes I blew into the flowers so hard I thought I was going to pass out. Again, this is a process that takes a little time to get right. This approach works best on roses.

4. Use a commercial product like Floralife Quick Dip. This product is sold for the wholesale market. It's not cheap and comes in a size more than you'll probably ever need. It's an instant hydration solution which opens roses very fast. I always have it in our shop but rarely use it.

So you now know everything I do about opening common flowers prematurely. Learn how to make your fresh flowers last longer here. Click here for tips on buying the freshest flowers.

 Have I forgotten any other methods of forcing flowers to open?

 

Mimi

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Calling it Home]

I always wondered why some roses never opened. It wasn't my fault. Great tips. I saw a floral designer using a blow dryer on flowers. Must be for this reason.

[Mimi]

Thanks for secret #5 for getting flowers open. Have a wonderful day!