Protect Your Bouquets with Professional Flower Care Tips

Did you know that roses have an outer layer of "guard petals" that should be removed after delivery?

This Mother's Day, extend the life of your mother's flowers with expert care tips from Organic Bouquet, the largest online provider of eco-friendly and organic gifts.

Below, please find a few professional flower care tips from CEO Robert McLaughlin to keep your bouquet looking its best.

Organic Bouquet's flowers are not only grown with the environment in mind, but they are also a mission-based company, so you're sure to find something that you can feel good about purchasing.

Flower Care Instructions

Follow these steps to maximize the vase life of your flower delivery:

� Prepare a solution of warm water and a flower food packet, or mix 2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice and 1 tbsp sugar per quart of water
� Fill a vase with the solution to within 1-2 inches of the rim
� Remove any leaves and foliage that would fall under the water line
� Cut each stem at about ? inch from the bottom, at a 45 degree angle, with a sharp single blade knife or floral clippers
� Display arrangement in a cool location between 65-72 degrees and away from direct sunlight and heat or dehumidifying sources

Additional Tips:
� Roses have an outer layer called "guard petals" that keep the bloom tight and protect the flower during shipping. They may appear discolored or bruised - simply remove these petals and the rose will blossom over the next few days.
� Lilies will bloom over the course of several days. Remove the pollen to avoid staining. Pollen dust can be removed from the flower petals by lightly brushing with a pipe cleaner. Cut off expired lily blooms as blooms closer to the tip continue to open.
� Flowers need to be rehydrated after shipment. They will "perk up" after several hours of drinking when cared for according to the instructions above.
� Top off the water level daily
� Clean the vase, change the flower food solution and re-cut the stems every two days

CEO Robert McLaughlin is an expert on green business, the organic floral industry, using responsible growing practices and the benefits of buying organic, as well as the company's eco-conscious and mission-based initiatives on farms in Haiti, Ecuador and Colombia.

To view Robert's bio, and learn how he went from the packing sheds and greenhouse to running the largest online provider of sustainable flowers, please visit the link here: www.organicbouquet.com/i_1001/organic/meet-organic-bouquet-ceo.html


A mission-based company focusing on environmental, social and economic sustainability, Organic Bouquet provides workers in underdeveloped countries everything from zero-interest loans, childcare, healthcare, education, environmental protection, supplies and more.

Organic Bouquet flowers are organically grown and have been certified by third-party agencies, such as USDA, Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance. They are also a carbon neutral company, partnered with www.CarbonFund.org in a carbon offset program supporting re-forestation projects in Guatemala.