Care tips for special cut flowers

Roses head the popularity rankings all over the world. Find out here how to keep them fresh for even longer.

• Roses from Fleurop and its partner stores are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
• If you do not receive your roses in this condition, remove all the thorns and leaves that would touch the water.
• Cut each stem with a sharp knife as soon as you receive the roses (long cut, cut from top to bottom) and put them in water immediately.

• Choose a vase that is tall enough. For roses, the water has to come at least half way up the stem (better: two-thirds).
• Cut the roses every time you change the water and clean the vase.

Roses are available at Fleurop and its partner stores throughout the year.

Please also read our «Golden Rules» with important basic information.

At one time, tulips enchanted sultans and harem ladies. Today, they are the absolute favorite spring flowers in Switzerland. Here are some tips:

• At a proper florist's, tulips are always sold with the color of the flower visible in the bud. Look out for that because obtaining beautiful blooms later on depends on it.
• Before they are put in the vase, tulips should be cut diagonally with a sharp knife. If the cut areas discolor in water after a few days, just cut the stems again.

• Tulips have a life of their own. If you put a bouquet consisting only of tulips into a short, round vase, it encourages the tulips stems to bend picturesquely. In tall, slim glasses, on the other hand, the stems tend to remain straight.
• Tulips are thirsty creatures. It is best to put these harbingers of spring in a glass vase such as one from Fleurop. It allows you to see the water level so that you can top up in good time.

At Fleurop and its partner stores tulips are available from January to about mid-April.

Please also read our «Golden Rules» with important basic information.

Narcissi and daffodils are loners. They excrete a sap that has a negative effect on other cut flowers, clogging their capillaries so that they are unable to absorb water and soon wither. Here are some tips on how to prevent these negative effects:

• Narcissi from the Fleurop florist are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase and the sap has already been removed.
• If you pluck narcissi in your own garden, you should place them in water separately for about 24 hours so that they can excrete their sap. You can then combine them with other flowers.

• If you are in a hurry, Fleurop florists have a special cut flower food that you can add to their water to neutralize them.
• Do NOT cut the stems of narcissi or daffodils after the sap is gone.

At Fleurop and its partner stores, narcissi are available from late February to about mid-April.

Please also read our «Golden Rules» with important basic information.

Flowering twigs are particularly popular in springtime. Find out from professionals here how to keep them longer:

• Flowering twigs from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
• If you do not receive your flowering twigs in this condition, remove all leaves that would touch the water as well as extraneous side shoots, over-abundant foliage and damaged leaves and blossoms.
• Then cut each twig with a sharp knife. The cut should be a deep diagonal (up to 5 cm long).

• For thicker twigs, you should also make a vertical cut of around 5 cm in length to improve water absorption.
• Since cutting with a knife is sometimes difficult, a pair of pruning shears can also be used.
• Choose an vase that is tall and stable enough.
• Cut the twigs every time you change the water and clean the vase.

At Fleurop and its partner stores, flowering twigs are available in spring and autumn, depending on the variety.

Please also read our «Golden Rules» with important basic information.

The fragile poppy fascinates more and more flower lovers. With these tips, it will last extra long:

• Poppies from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
• If you do not receive your flowers in this condition, you need to be aware that cutting doesn't agree with them. So, either don't cut them, or if you do, dip the end of the stem (approx. 5 cm) in hot water immediately afterwards. Alternatively, you can flame them briefly with a cigarette lighter. This ensures that the sticky, milky sap excreted by these flowers when cut will coagulate and the flowers will not «bleed to death». Do not cut these flowers again later on.

• When changing water, DO NOT cut the stems. Rinse them carefully under running water.

At Fleurop and its partner stores, poppies are available from March through Mother's Day.

Please also read our «Golden Rules» with important basic information.

Sunflowers with their positive charisma are extremely popular. Here are some tips on prolonging their life in a vase:

• Sunflowers from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
• If you are cutting sunflowers in the field, please do it in the morning. That's when they are most likely to be saturated with water and are better able to stand the stress of being plucked.
• Remove the leaves except for the top 1-2 rows right there on the spot to reduce evaporation through the large leaves.

• If you buy sunflowers from a florist, they should be carried for the shortest possible distance. Don't leave the flowers lying in the car. Warmth or actual sunlight will kill them.
• Cut the stems to the right length with a sharp knife. To ensure that they absorb water efficiently, the cut surface should be long and smooth.
• Run hot water into a bucket and keep the stem ends in it for a few minutes at a depth of approximately 10 cm. This will remove air that may have penetrated and improve water absorption.

• Choose a vase that is tall enough and very stable.
• As sunflowers thrive in summer, there is a high risk that they may rot in the vase when room temperatures are fairly high. Therefore, change the water and clean the vase every day.

At Fleurop and its partner stores sunflowers are available from July to October.

Please also read our «Golden Rules» with important basic information.

They're available again from the late summer onwards: gorgeous chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum x grandiflorum) with their large blooms that can be up to 20 cm in size. Find out here how these flowers can be made to last even longer:

• Chrysanthemums from the Fleurop florist are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
• If you do not receive your flowers ready for the vase, remove any leaves that would touch the water when you arrange them as well as extraneous side shoots, over-abundant foliage and damaged leaves and blossoms.

• Then cut each stem diagonally with a sharp knife.
• If a petal falls off a bloom when the flowers are arranged or when the water is changed, there is a risk that the entire blossom will fall apart. You should therefore drip a little candle wax on the place where the petal has fallen off.

At Fleurop and its partner stores, chrysanthemums are available from September to November.

Please also read our «Golden Rules» with important basic information.