Spraying Water on Fresh Flowers

[SpringCity]

Ok I've been designing for a while so this might seem like a noob question but here goes:

I've gone to shows where I heard NEVER let water drip onto your fresh flowers because of botrytis... but I've also helped at shops where they have a water spray bottle that they use on fresh. Aside from hydrating flowers that need it, do you spray your regular arrangements with h20?

 

[NavyBrat]

No...we spray every finished product with ~finishing touch~ and swear by it!

 

[SpringCity]

I've used Clear Crowning Glory and Hawaiian Mist but I'm open to new things. I've never tried Finishing Touch.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

I love the old clear crown, I am so sad it died..... I'm totally bogarting all the rest of the clear clown I have for wedding stuff...

anyway we've been using Aquafinish. I have used Hawiian, but man, it's expensive!!! and I think Aquafinish is just as good and way cheaper!!

Now back in the olden days the shop I first worked for never used ANY kind of
preservative, nothing! except for we would dip steph and white roses in ORIGINAL crown (you know the old white kind) But only for weddings.
I don't know why...... And the last couple of years we would use pixie sparkle for leather.

But believe it or not we had a good rep for flowers lasting. We'd totally spray just plain tap water on the arrangements. Go figure

 

[Babylon Floral Design]

I'm so trying Aquafinish on myself right now.....so much cheaper then Botox!!! hahaha! just kidding!

 

[BOSS]

I love the old clear crown, I am so sad it died.....

Um...it's back and new and improved... works very well!!!

As to plain water...I don't think it would hurt a thing as long as you allow them to dry before wrapping or going into the cooler...but Crowning Glory, Finishing Touch, or similar would do more good.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

Um...it's back and new and improved... works very well!!!

As to plain water...I don't think it would hurt a thing as long as you allow them to dry before wrapping or going into the cooler...but Crowning Glory, Finishing Touch, or similar would do more good.

some body posted that the new crown has issues, so I'm scarred of it.....

Why don't you use it and then let me know how it goes!!!!!!

 

[BOSS]

Why don't you use it and then let me know how it goes!!!!!!

Um...it's back and new and improved... works very well!!!

I do, am and did!

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

COOL,

what is so much better in our opinion?

Like I said, all I've heard is scarry stories.....

So please, do tell.......

 

[Chezbloom]

"I'm so trying Aquafinish on myself right now.....so much cheaper then Botox!!! hahaha! just kidding!"

I actually did spray Aquafinish all over my face one day as I was looking really haggard after having one too many brewskis the night before. It did'nt hurt and I like to think it sort of worked.:alcoholic

 

[Twila]

I think that we have tried all of the different kinds of finishes. Honestly, we can't tell the diffence from one to the other. But can tell you this, we wouldn't send an arrangement out without using something. We swear by the "Liquid Shield".

 

[Gigi]

INow back in the olden days the shop I first worked for never used ANY kind of
preservative, nothing! except for we would dip steph and white roses in ORIGINAL crown (you know the old white kind) But only for weddings.
I don't know why...... And the last couple of years we would use pixie sparkle for leather.

But believe it or not we had a good rep for flowers lasting. We'd totally spray just plain tap water on the arrangements. Go figure

We do not use any kind of spray on our flowers nor do we use any additives in the water. You may want to call us 'old school' but this has worked for us and we have maintained a fantastic reputation over the years for long lasting flowers. And we also spray our arrangements with tap water and have never had any issue with it.

 

[logan]

Fine misting of plain old water.
Not a dousing so water settles and botrytis will set in, but a refreshing, fine misting.

The need to use additives/product will vary greatly to your climate, relative humidity etc.

 

[Joe Mioux]

Ok I've been designing for a while so this might seem like a noob question but here goes:

I've gone to shows where I heard NEVER let water drip onto your fresh flowers because of botrytis... but I've also helped at shops where they have a water spray bottle that they use on fresh. Aside from hydrating flowers that need it, do you spray your regular arrangements with h20?

I have never seen Botrytis occur after the flowers are in the flower shop and are being used in design work.

It happens out in the greenhouse. The problem generally occurs when a greenhouse grower waters late in the afternoon and the flowers do not have a chance to dry.

For me, Botrytis can be a problem with poinsettias, however, there are some really good fungicides available that curtail this problem now.

I don't spray flowers very often. Sometimes corsages and boutinieres.

joe

 

[Toddxxx]

We don't spray flowers with water here, basically, because, well, they drink from the other end don't they? Although some tropicals like heliconia do absorb water through the flower itself.

I don't know of any Australian florists who use these spray preservatives...do they really work or is it just something else to spend money on?

All we do is keep containers and water clean - just a drop of bleach in the water - and your looking at 1- 3 weeks vase life for most glasshouse flowers (roses 5-7 days, carnations 7 - 14 days, chrysanths 2 - 3 weeks) our weather is typically warm here (I've heard people compare our climate to California)