Hydration Hacks for Hot Weather Success

Keeping blooms turgid in heat is tough. Here are a few tips:

1. Allow ample time (overnight) for blooms to become 100% hydrated before starting designs.
2. Prepare buckets with flower food (Chrysal Professional 2) day ahead of delivery and pre-chill solutions to 33-34F. Research proves that for almost all flower species, chilled solution flows into stems faster than tepid or warm. Chilled solutions also reduce incidence of condensation on leaves and blooms (Botrytis pressure).
3. Measure when mixing to achieve 100% results. Guessing is out.
4. Get everything ready—Use Chrysal Cleaner to sanitize worktable, chopper blade, knives BEFORE you open a box.
5. Take boxes out of cooler in small quantities rather than letting the entire load warm up as you work through the stack.
6. Cut stems and immediately plunge into chilled solution. When temps soar, it’s super-important that every stem get a fresh cut with clean tools. Doing so removes the gunk plugging stems and opens the vascular system for efficient flow.
7. Pre-hydrate stephanotis and gardenias. Use bottled water and keep your hands wet the entire time you’re handling these blooms. Get steph florets and gard blooms out of boxes, carefully cut a bit off stems and float blooms in a shallow container with bottled water and Chrysal Professional 2 (bottled is free of the salts and minerals in tap water that sometimes cause pepper spots on petals).

Cover container with moist paper towel and let blooms float in solution in cooler for 2 hours minimum to make sure everything is fully hydrated prior to design.

8. Once designs are prepared, spray blooms and leaves with Chrysal Glory to slow down dehydration. Allow time for pieces to dry completely before placing back in cooler. (Botrytis pressure)
9. Wrap hand-held bouquets in Chrysal Arrive Alive to provide a water source. Dip Arrive Alive foam for 10 seconds in Chrysal Professional 2 or Chrysal Pro 3 flower food and then add the outer plastic bag