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Archives for July 2009

Making Peace Lilies Bloom

July 20, 2009 by

Ask The Expert: I read your info on the peace lily.  I have one that is 3 years old.  It was in bloom when I received it, but it hasn’t blossomed since then.  It has nice green leaves and looks very healthy.  What can I do to make it blossom?  Thank you.  Barbara

Plant Expert Reply:

Making Peace lilies bloom is a million dollar question. Naturally peace lilies bloom in the spring and early summer initiated by the short day/long night photoperiod of December and January.  This means that one of the factors for peace lily blooms is light.  In other words, it needs seasonal change to induce blooming.  In this case, you could create this artificially by shorten the amount of light the plant receives.  However, light is not the only factor.  Temperature can also contribute to blooming.  A few weeks kept at a slightly lower temperature and in conjunction with the photoperiod can produce blooms.

Another monkey wrench is the development of peace lilies over the course of time. Over the years growers have produced different peace lily cultivars to achieve different goals.  As a result, some peace lily cultivars bloom more and some rarely.  So your lack of blooming could be the type of peace lily you have and not necessarily an environmental issue.

How the professional peace lily growers do it

The growers take a chemical approach to peace lily bloom production.  They stimulate blooming by applying Gibberellic acid (GA3 ) – a naturally occuring plant hormone.  This hormone initiates the peace to produce blooms.

I don’t think GA3 is available to consumers, so your best option is to try the light and the temperature variations.

Good Luck and keep me posted.

Filed Under: Plant Care Questions Tagged With: , ,

Estella Flower Shop: A Florist Willing To Listen

July 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment

When someone goes out of their way to satisfy their customer’s orders, you know you’re placing your order at the right shop! The shop I’m referring to is none other than Estella Flower Shop located in Harlingen, TX. To Estella, designing a floral arrangement is more than throwing a few fresh flowers together. Instead every floral arrangement is an opportunity to create a work of art. She listens to the customer and the emotions they are trying to convey with this arrangement. Estella then selects flowers and a design that will create the perfect bouquet for them.

I absolutely admire someone who has so much passion and love for what they do on an everyday basis. Many positive testimonials prove that Estella is very kind and willing to go out of her way to help people. And I realize why; there is nothing more important to her than 100 % customer satisfaction. I personally spoke with Estella one day setting her up with one of our services here at Flower Shop Network. She took some time to really listen and was very patient as I was explaining to her about this technical service. She was very polite and understanding which is something I really do appreciate when I call florists regarding this service. I understand why a lot of her customers enjoy her and want to come back for more!

Serving the Harlingen area for over 25 years, having a lot of experience, it’s no wonder why many people choose Estella Flower Shop to be their florist. It’s obvious Estella’s success comes from being such a helpful and caring florist. From wedding arrangements to great gift choices and funeral flowers to just a simple flower arrangement, Estella Flower Shop is definitely the place to call!

Filed Under: Florist Spotlights Tagged With: , , ,

Peace Lilies & Watering Gadgets

July 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Ask the Expert: Peace Lily pot
I recently bought a mature Peace Lily and repotted it into a “self-watering” pot, which is filled from the bottom & you can see how much water is in there.  I’m wondering if this type of pot is okay for Peace Lilies, or is it better to water them from the top?  Also, should the reservoir be kept full, or allowed to dry up?  Is it possible to over-water with this type of pot?  What about those “Aqua Bulb” things shown on TV lately (you fill the bulb with water, stick it in the soil, and supposedly they release the right amount of water to the plant based on how much oxygen the soil releases)– do they work, and do you recommend them? Dawn

Plant Expert Reply:

I’m an old-fashioned kind of plant watering gal.  For me the best peace lily method is the tried and true watering from the top.  See peace lilies want a evenly moist soil that does not dry out but doesn’t leave them soggy either.

I haven’t had any experience with self watering pots.  So they could be the next best thing to sliced white bread.  However for most plants if the roots stay soggy, the plant could develop root rot.  Depending on the design of the self-watering container this could or could not be a problem.  If I was going to use a self-watering pot, I would make sure that the soil was moist from the top to the bottom to begin with and then monitor the soil moist for a couple weeks to see how effect these containers are.

I am familiar with the “Aqua Bulb” principle.  We sell a decorative blown glass watering bulb at our garden center.  I find these mostly useful as a vacation watering method.  They slowly drip water as the soil becomes dry, so I don’t worry about over watering. On the other hand with these you could be under watering the plant.  Again if you use them make sure the soil is moist from top to bottom before you use these as your watering devise. You will still need to monitor your peace lily occasionally to make sure the soil is properly hydrated.

The key to any of these methods is monitor your soil moisture and adjusting accordingly.

Good luck and keep me posted.

Filed Under: Peace Lily Tagged With: , , , ,

Lucky Bamboo And Mildew

July 20, 2009 by 15 Comments

Ask the Expert: How do I get rid of the mildew on my lucky bamboo?
Help! I have found white powder on my lucky bamboo. I have had this plant for over 4 years now and this is it’s first problem. From my web searches, I found out that it is mildew. None of the sites really have told me how to get rid of it on lucky bamboo.
Thanks! Vienna

Plant Expert Reply:
It depends on what you are calling mildew.

If you have an algae build up in the water or around the roots of the lucky bamboo, you need to clean the container and any pebbles with soapy water and wipe off the roots and the stalks with a moist cloth and refill the container.

If you have lesions on the stalk, you will need to remove the lesions. In this case you may need to create new stalks from the top of the stalk. You might want to read this lucky bamboo post, it details how to remove diseased parts of lucky bamboo.

If you have white cottony substance on the stalks, it could actually be an insect called scale.  You can wipe this insect off and clean the container as a method of control.  If the scale persists, use an insecticide that is safe for houseplants.

If you have a type of fungus that is rust or sooty in color, we have a whole other ballgame.   These would need to be treated with a fungicide.  The hardest part is finding a fungicide safe for Dracaena.  You could try daconil. It is a general purpose fungicide.

If you are not sure what type of  “mildew” your lucky bamboo has, send me a picture.  I’ll be happy to help any way I can.

Please keep me posted.

Filed Under: Lucky Bamboo Tagged With: , , ,

Need Birthday Flowers For A Leo?

July 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment

When it’s time to shop for a birthday gift for a Leo, strike “trip to the mall” off of the list. Instead, call your local florist and ask about zodiac flowers for a Leo. This is a unique gift that they probably aren’t going to get twice. The creativity of zodiac flower arrangements shows that you’re paying attention to the birthday boy or girl and really wanted to go the extra mile for a cool gift this year. Well you did! At least, you will have when you contact your local florist and talk about zodiac flowers in a birthday bouquet.

So what flowers qualify as Leo zodiac flowers and astrological flowers? Here are the most popular blooms for Leos:

Orange Carnations Are Always Fun!

Orange Carnations Are Always Fun!

  • Carnations (yay!!!)
  • Amaranthus
  • Peonies
  • Anthuriums
  • Cacti
  • Sunflowers
  • Venus Fly Trap (though you’ll have to go farther than your local florist to find this TRULY unique gift)

So when it comes to shopping around for a birthday gift for your loveable Leo, look to your local florist. They have just what you need this year — zodiac flowers!

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Get Excited! The Summer 2009 Networker Is Available!

July 17, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Once again Flower Shop Network is booming with excitement. Why? Because The Networker’s summer edition is available! Florists–check your mail this week because the summer 2009 edition of The Networker should be hitting your mailbox soon. If you would like to view The Networker (.pdf file), feel free! Here’s some of what you’ll find in The Networker this time:

  • News about the enhanced FSNf2f.com sites
  • Tips for increasing summer sales
  • Cost-effective tips for promoting wedding flowers
  • Much more!

We know you’ll love FSN Networker Summer 2009 and hope to find your comments here shortly!

Filed Under: FSN Announcements Tagged With: ,

Poinsettias As A School Fundraisers In Houston

July 17, 2009 by 2 Comments

Ask the Expert: Wholesale Poinsettias in Houston Area
Our high school drill team would like to sell good quality (large) poinsettias as a fundraiser.  Do you have any referrals in the Houston, TX area? Melissa

Plant Expert Reply:
Poinsettias make wonderful gifts and are an awesome way to raise money.  In fact, I know a grower in Van Buren Arkansas called Parks Brothers Farms who has a fantastic fundraising program. They provide poinsettias for non-profit fundraising in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, North Texas, Eastern Kansas, Western Tennessee and Missouri.  I called Jason at Parks Brothers Farms and he assured me that they could, also, provide the poinsettias for your school fundraiser in Houston.

I assume you will want red poinsettias which are a traditional and popular choice.  However, you might want to consider some of the other poinsettia color options like pink, white, burgundy and marble. Parks Brothers Farms will help you decide what the best poinsettia options are for the Houston area.  So check out their non-profit fundraising page or call Jason at toll-free: (800) 334-5770.

Let me know how your fundraising goes.

Filed Under: Plant Suggestions Tagged With: ,

Removing Spent Peace Lily Bloom

July 17, 2009 by

Ask the Expert: I recently acquired a peace lily from my brother’s funeral. I would like to know how to prone the plant once a flower blossom dies. I want to keep the plant looking nice. Your care instructions doesn’t say where to cut the flower off at. Or do I just leave it alone and let the stem die too and then pull stem and all out at once. Thank you.    Grace

Plant Expert Reply:

You can leave the stalk and let it die-back on its own, but that makes the plant unsightly.  Follow the stalk to the base of the plant and snip it off.  Removing the spent flowers will keep the plant attractive.  To keep the plant healthy remove the florists wrapping and make sure it is a pot that will allow the plant to drain.  Then keep the plant moist but not soggy.

Filed Under: Plant Care Questions Tagged With: , , ,

Rock A Bye Baby: Top New Baby Card Messages

July 17, 2009 by Leave a Comment

My best friend recently had a baby. My brother and sister in law are about to welcome a son also. It’s hard to stop the maternal inclination that comes from being around wonderful women like this. It’s also hard to plan a baby shower without thinking about new baby gifts. Of course, it’s easy to opt for the cute gifts with the “ooo” and “awww” factor. It’s just as easy to be practical and get Mommy gifts that she’ll need when little baby arrives. However, the best new baby gift is the one that isn’t about the baby at all-it’s about mommy.

Celebrating the birth of a child, just like with every other occasion, flowers are a great gift for making the woman feel special. Friends of the daddy? Send flowers and you’ll be in momma’s good graces also! The part that most people get stuck on is the card message. It can be difficult to put sentiments into words with new baby card messages. For those of us rather handicapped in regard to this particular ability, the following list makes it easy to say congratulations. Local florists have spoken. Here’s what their top 10 new baby card messages have to say.

Lullabye & Goodnight:  Top 10 New Baby Card Messages

1)       Congratulations on your new bundle of joy.

2)       Best wishes to you and your new little one.

3)       Babies are a gift from heaven. You must be special to have one of its angels.

4)       Congratulations on your new arrival.

5)       May the joy of parenting bring you a lifetime of laughter and happiness.

6)       Wishing your family a happy and healthy life together.

7)       Cheers to you and your growing family.

8)       May your child have a lifetime of health, love, and happiness.

9)       Goodbye tummy. Hello Mommy!

10)     Congratulations on the new addition to your family.

Want to view all 20 new baby card messages? The next 10 are just a click away. There you can print them to share with your customers or email the link to a friend. Brought to you by FlowerShopNetwork.com.

Filed Under: Card Messages Tagged With: , , , , ,

Are These Black Things Tiger Lily Seeds?

July 16, 2009 by 2 Comments

Ask the Expert: tiger lilysme mature flowering plants.
i have some tiger lilys and i was wounering if the little black things on the leavs are seeds and if they are when can i plant them. thank you Brantlee

Plant Expert Reply:

If the black things are actually on the leaves axils, they are called bulblets.  When bulblets mature and fall to the ground they can sprout into new plants. It usually takes 3 years before these bulblets will become mature flowering plants.  However the seeds that form in pods after the blooms dissapear can become mature blooming plants the next year.

If you want to harvest and plant the bublets, collected as they start to fall to the ground.  THe best time to harvest is after a few drop to the ground.

Filed Under: Plant Propagation Tagged With: ,
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