Flowers immediately brighten up a room, adding a sense of spring and joy. As flowers are a living and a relatively costly decoration, it

pays to keep them alive and healthy looking for as long as possible.Knowing some of a florist's secrets for flower care are the best means

of ensuring a prolonged life for a healthy bouquet of flowers. The first thing to know

about floral care is immediate care. You can compare a florist to a doctor in a maternity ward, checking that the newly arrived bundle is in good health and will stay that way. As soon as a floral shipment arrives, the florist gets to work, as immediate care is necessary for living plants. As our world is becoming considerably more ecologically conscious, many florists use natural methods of prolonging the life of plants, which often turn out to be less expensive methods. If you are ecologically conscious, you may prefer knowing some natural tips for floral care. There are some secrets not widely known which offer great protection and life extension to your flowers, as well as some widely known old-wives tale type of tips, which often do have merit to them. Uncovering these secrets of the trade will simplify floral care and leave your flowers looking better for longer. From the moment cut flowers are in your possession, you must take measures to care

for them. Time is of the essence in these moments of primary care. Immediately place the flowers to soak in a bowl while you get yourself

ready: find the appropriate vase, have the plant food at hand, find a strong pair of shears or a sharp knife, and room temperature water (on

the cooler, rather than warmer, side). Fill the vase, and add whatever plant food/anti-bacterial product you plan to use. Turn on the tap, and placing each stem under the running water, cut about an inch and a half off of each flower. It is important to keep the flower under a constant stream of water, as this will avoid air bubbles from forming, which temporarily cut off the water supply to the flower. Use either a knife or very sharp shears to cut the stems, as a terrible mistake is to cut with scissors that end up flattening the stem without cutting it. This will also damage the water supply from stem to flower. When cutting, cut at an angle, as that makes greater surface area for the water to enter the stem. Cut off any leaves that will be under water, as left on the stems, they will begin to rot and promote bacterial growth. Keep your flowers out of direct sunlight and heat, and change the water often. These initial steps will ensure a healthy bouquet.

For those seeking natural means of protecting and caring for flowers, the only thing to

avoid from the above-mentioned description of flower care will be the plant food and anti-bacterial preservative to keep the plants healthy. There are many natural formulas for those preferring to avoid the chemicals found in plant food. Water is the essential element for all of life to survive. So, ensuring that your plant gets the best water for it will ensure a longer life. Soft, acidic water is best for flowers, as it optimizes the flowers' veins bringing up water to the rest of the plant. When you change the water daily, trim off a bit more of the stem to cut off any bacteria that may be living at the stem entrance, as well as reopen the stem's vein. Use a vase that allows room for the flowers. When flowers are packed together tightly, they have less air, and more chances of rotting. White sugar is really all that plants need for food, and can substitute plant food. Old wives' tales often turn out to be valuable natural care methods, so read on to

learn about these.

As silly as some old wives' tales seem, this folklore often has a scientific basis, and

should never be discarded off the bat. Instead of using the chemicals of plant food, throwing a copper penny into the vase really will help

your plants, as copper is a natural fungicide which prevents the growth of yeast and fungus. Acidic water is healthy for flowers, as it helps

keep levels of bacteria in water low. While

throwing an aspirin into the vase won't bring down a fever, it will help kill bacteria, as

aspirin is acidic. Lemon juice or vinegar, with

their strong acidity, work as well. To finish up, let's divulge some little known secrets of

the florists! Always keep your bouquets away

from sources of electricity, as the waves emitted dehydrate flowers. If you notice that

your flowers are already dehydrated and weakening, there is a "miracle cure" hot water treatment. Wrap the ends of the stems in a

newspaper, secured by a rubber band, and immerse into boiling water for about 20 seconds, followed immediately by immersion in cold water. This is known to bring life back to flowers by stimulating water absorption. Another great tip that helps prevent wilting is to keep your flowers refrigerated (in water) for a few hours before displaying them. For instance, imagine flowers for weddings - it's often impossible to prepare the flowers the day of the wedding. So florists prepare them a day in advance, and keep them in a large fridge overnight.

Florists follow these time tested tips, and as a result, they show off beautiful, healthy

flowers. You don't need to be a florist to show

off your own beautiful flowers! Taking care of a bouquet can extend its life by as much

as a few weeks, and the effort needed to achieve

this is quite minimal. Remember that the most decisive moments of your flowers' lifespan are the moments the flowers are first in your possession. Take good care upon receiving them, and they will thrive. In caring for them, many natural methods are just as useful as plant

food and preservative, so they are worth looking into. Lastly, don't ignore the folklore

surrounding flower care, as it holds much wisdom

and does improve a bouquet's health! As with all things natural and living, it is often the

simplest things which are needed to stay healthy

and strong. So keep your flowers watered and fed, and you'll have a healthy bouquet

which will age beautifully!