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Suggest an Article: Hydrating Hydrangeas!

March 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment

In this edition of Suggest an Article, we have a fantastic tip from Jo Ann Evans of JoAnn’s Flowers and Gifts in Indian Trail, NC. Take it away, Jo Ann!nikko-blue-hydrangea

“To keep Hydrangeas hydrated:

Wet tip of stem and place in alum powder, then put the flower in the water bucket. You can also put a small amount of alum powder in the water bucket itself. This simple application keeps the flower fresh. It really works!!” 

Discovering Alum

If you aren’t big into cooking, pickling in particular, you may not be familiar with alum powder. It’s a primary ingredient in the pickling of fruits and vegetables to help maintain freshness. It would stand to reason that if it can keep these items fresh through the pickling process, it could help prolong the life of your freshly cut hydrangeas!

Because alum powder is used in cooking, it can easily be located on the spice aisle of your local grocer. It’s a cheap additive to keep Hydrangeas happy, so there’s no excuse not to use it.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of Suggest an Article, and I can’t wait to see what kinds of ideas we’ll find in our comments section. Remember, your ideas do not have to be limited to flower care tips or marketing techniques. If you think something is happening in your local community deserving of an article by Flower Shop Network, let us know!

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Quick Tips: Sanitizing Those Old Vases

September 30, 2013 by 2 Comments

If there’s one thing with which every florist is more than familiar, it’s a dirty vase that seems impossible to get clean. Most of the time, they come to you as part of a vase recycling or re-purposing program, and we all know how important it is to get those vases completely disinfected and sanitized. The bacteria and mildew growing in an old vase can wreak havoc on anything you might wish to place in it! But regardless of its origins, nothing is more annoying than a disgusting vase that just will not come clean!

A Cleaning “Solution”

Crystal Flower Vase

Well, no need to fret. Amy Bishop of Amy’s Flower Basket in Albion, NE has found a brilliant solution! The next time you find yourself with a vase that resists the ministrations of soap and water, just fill it to the brim with hot water and drop in a couple of denture cleaning tablets. Give it a full 24 hours to soak, and then simply clean as normal. The end result will be a bright and sparkling vase, completely sanitized of any residual mildew or bacteria and ready for use!

Thanks Amy, that’s a fantastic idea!

Amateur Application

Of course, this will also work at home. So for any of you non-professionals out there, go grab that old vase from under the sink or off the top of the refrigerator and give this tip a try! Or, if you’d prefer not to reuse your old vase, you should definitely check with your local florists to see if they have a recycling/re-purposing program available in your area. Some even offer a discount on your next flower purchase, so you can get rid of the old, empty and busted to make way for some new hotness!

Do you have an idea or tip that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you! Just leave your idea in the comments below, and who knows, it might be the subject of our next blog post! Also, if you’d like more information on creative ways to use vases, check out this previous post!

Filed Under: Floral Resources, Florists Only Tagged With: , ,

Local Florist’s Quick Tips For DIY Flower Arranging

July 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We just found this great video from back in 2007 that features one of our member florists and thought I’d share! Meghan Carter, host of Ask the Decorator visits with Vickey Wenshrup of Amelia Florist Wine & Gift Shop in Amelia, Ohio to learn a few DIY flower arranging pointers.

Don’t miss the video at the bottom of this post!

DIY Flower Arranging

At the beginning of the video, Meghan asks, “How hard can it really be to make a floral arrangement?” By the end, she adds, “flower arranging isn’t as easy and you would think!” There is a whole lot more that goes into flower arranging that just putting flowers into a vase. Florists are truly artists, but also have to be meticulous in their efforts to keep your flowers lasting as long as possible. Sure you can DIY a flower arrangement, but for the absolute best results, give your local florist a call!

If you’re interested in DIY flowers, keep an eye out for workshops available in your area. Florists all over the country offer flower arranging classes where you can learn the ins and outs of creating flowers.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Design Technique Videos, Floral Design, Florist Spotlights, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: , , ,

6 Quick Flower Photography Tips For Florists

December 6, 2011 by 1 Comment

Flowers and Photography

It seems like the two just go together. We buy flowers based on photos in a book or online, we photograph them at weddings, and florists brag about their talent with pictures of prior work. Most florists would like to have a portfolio, but don’t feel confident enough to do it themselves. It’s not hard to make professional-looking flower photos, but it does take practice.

Flower Photography Tips

Here are a few hints that will make your photos sparkle.

  • Use natural light. That means sunlight coming into your shop. Many shops have fluorescent lighting, and believe it or not, your camera will see it as ugly, green light. Cameras see incandescent lighting as harsh yellow-red. If you have fluorescent or incandescent lighting, turn it off and just use the light coming through the window. Experiment by placing the arrangement closer or farther away from the light source, and by turning the arrangement until the light produces the most flattering effect. Side-lighting from above produces a nice effect. [Read more…]
Filed Under: Florists Only, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: , , , ,

7 Great Ways To Keep Up With Trends

June 30, 2010 by Leave a Comment

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In this fast-paced world, it can be hard to keep up with the latest and greatest floral design trends. Here are 7 easy ways to keep up with the latest in the floral design industry.

1. Attend Design & Trade Shows -Nothing gets the creative juices flowing like attending a design or trade show. Being in the presence of industry leaders and talented designers you are sure to bring home tons of new ideas.
2. Follow Industry Leaders on Social Sites – Are you into social networking? So are you favorite florists and others involved in floral design! Flower Shop Network on Facebook is a great example of a Facebook Page every florist should follow. We update our page daily with great tips, ideas, pics and even videos. (Our design videos on YouTube are a good way to learn new techniques from expert florists!) Other great Facebook Pages to follow are: AIFD Group, SAF Page or check out Flower Shop Network’s Favorite Pages for more.
3. Attend Workshops & Educational Classes – Just like with any type of art and design, the styles are constantly changing. A floral design class or workshop is a great way to stay in touch with the latest trends in the industry. Floral design schools, universities and even conferences can be a great place to look for floral design classes. Most of these workshops you can finish in a weekend, but you’ll return with a lifetime of new design ideas!
4. Subscribe to Floral Magazines – An easy way to stay up to date with trends is by subscribing to floral design magazines. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Florists Only Tagged With: , , ,

Avoiding Fraudulent Orders This Holiday Season

November 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Red Holiday CenterpieceFlower Shop Network is catching wind of the newest trend in florist talk. The holiday gift-giving season is back which means there are a lot of fraudulent orders and scam orders floating around. Don’t be alarmed! We’ve heard the rumors too and want to make sure that you’re protected from sending/receiving a fraudulent order. Here are tips that will help keep you safe from scam this holiday season.

  • Scrutinize unusually large or hurried orders. Almost all fraudulent orders tend to be larger than average. Though some appropriate instances call for large orders, note particularly large and hurried orders.
  • Verify sender contact information. Make sure that the sender has listed a contact phone number, physical address (which can be verified on Google Maps), and other information that lets you know you are dealing with a REAL person.
  • Pay attention to the signature on the credit card. Make sure that the signature on sender’s credit card matches the signature of the sender. Also, make sure that the signature is a real name and not an obvious nick name.
  • Do not accept foreign (Non US or Canadian) credit card orders. Approximately 30% of all foreign orders are fraudulent.
  • Note the email address and corresponding mail server. Take particular note if the account is a setup under a free server such as Yahoo! mail, Gmail, and others or a very strange server as these can be obtained by anyone anywhere.

You may also be interested in these posts:

Quick and Easy Ways To Spot Fraudulent Orders
FSN Applauds Tennessee’s Consumer Protection Efforts
Why Sending Flowers Online Is A Good Idea

Filed Under: FSN Announcements Tagged With: , ,

Christmas Flowers: Gifts, Tips And Decorations

November 3, 2009 by 5 Comments

Christmas Flower Arrangement

Red poinsettias, ‘Casa Blanca’ lilies, and the scent of fresh Christmas greens are the basis for many Christmas decorations.  Sure flowers make great decorations, but what about sending flowers as Christmas gifts?  Flowers are a fantastically appropriate gift for Christmas and other religious holidays. You won’t have to worry if they are the right size, shape, or color.  You can rest assured they won’t already have one.  Whether you use flowers for decorations or as a gift, now is the time to explore the world of Christmas flowers.

What Christmas Flowers Options Are Available?

At one time or another we’ve all sent a poinsettia to a loved one or friend for the Christmas holiday.  Although a quintessential Christmas plant, poinsettias are not the only Christmas flowers you can send.  Roses, mums, lilies, tulips and many other wonderful floral blooms are available at your local florist shop.  In fact, Christmas flowers run the gamut from traditional red roses to lime green “Fuji” mums as well as a host of plum and purple flowers.  Variety doesn’t stop with the flowers. Christmas arrangements can range from a traditional table centerpiece with candles and flowers to a contemporary arrangement with glitzy ornaments and flowers. Best of all, giving flowers as gifts during the Christmas holidays can make short work of buying presents for those hard-to-buy-for friends and loved ones.

Who Can I Send Flowers To At Christmas?

You can send flowers to anyone; your child’s teacher, your hairstylist, your uncle and aunt in TimBukTu. Sure, you could simply exchange cards, but why not add a bit of Christmas joy with some flowers? Do you have trouble finding an appropriate gift for your boss? Do you ponder with each item you look at “Is it appropriate?” or “Could it be misconstrued?” Flowers are the perfect solution—not too fancy, not too expensive, yet very thoughtful. Flowers eliminate all gift choice second guessing. The number one person to [Read more…]

Filed Under: Gift Ideas, Holiday Info, Newsletters, Seasonal Flowers Tagged With: , ,

Moving Duranta Erecta Indoors For Winter

August 17, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Ask the Expert: I live in the mountains of Western North Carolina
How can I winter-over/indoors my duranta erecta–little tree in a big pot/about 3-4 feet tall.

It’s beautiful & I’d like to be able to bring it in (should it be in the house/sunny room?) or just in the garage over the winter? Gloria

Plant Expert Reply:

Hopefully the pot isn’t so big that you can’t move the plant and all into the house. I would not recommend trying to put the plant in a smaller pot just to get it in the house.

The optimum place for your duranta would be a sunroom that stays above freezing.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be heated but it can’t drop below 30 degrees.  A garage will work but only if it stays above freezing and has many windows that will contribute good light.  Any room in your house will work as long as it has a good light source.

When you bring the duranta indoors for the winter reduce your watering.  The plant will not need as much water as it did outside.  You can also cut back on the fertilizer.  Watch for spidemites, mealybugs and whiteflies when you take it indoors. If these pests due occur, you can spray it with a houseplant spray that controls those insects.

Good Luck and Keep Me Posted.

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Need A Fresh Flower Decorating Tip For A Back-To-School Party?

July 28, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Back to school parties are the highlight of the summer. They set the tone for the rest of the school year. After a long summer’s vacation (or a short one for year-round schools), it’s always nice to throw a little celebration that welcomes in the new school year and says goodbye to summer vacation. It’s not a time to mope though! Back to school parties are fun, exciting, refreshing gettogethers with friends. Where’s a cause for sadness in that??

So now that we’re up to speed on the tone of a back to school party it’s time to talk about decorating. Fresh flowers are, as with any party, the best way to bring life and vitality to the celebration. Streamers, balloons, and party utensils are all well and good. What really gets the party decorations bumping though–why, that’s flowers of course!

Here Are Some Clever Fresh Flower Decorating Tips for A Back To School Party

  • Match the color of the flower arrangement to the decorations. If the team colors are black and gold, live it up with black and gold flowers! (Yes, it CAN be done!) If they are red and white, use red and white. And so on and so forth.
  • Use your child’s favorite color(s) as the theme of the flower arrangements. This will help your child feel like they had a special hand in the party and that it really is something to celebrate part of their life.
  • Ask each child to bring one fresh flower to the party. Use these to create a bouquet or two. Place these at the center of the room so that each child will be able to view their contribution. If an outdoor party, create a centerpiece for the picnic table or food table using the same idea.
  • Decorate the main table with fresh flowers then give each child one as they leave. Stems of flowers are excellent gifts for young middle school children and older children. Young children are easily amused and glad to receive any gift. Older children recognize the significance and may choose to preserve the flowers, especially if it’s the Back To School Party for their senior year.

Have any other ideas? Send them our way by placing them in the comments box below. Who knows? Your idea may make it THE Back To School Party of the new millenium!

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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: , , , ,
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