How to Care for Your Sympathy Bouquets After the Funeral
Receiving a sympathy bouquet is a touching gesture during a difficult time. Still, once the funeral services have ended, these flowers become more than just decor; they are a lasting reminder of the love and support surrounding you. While it’s natural to feel overwhelmed, taking a few simple steps to care for your arrangements can help preserve their beauty and honor your loved one’s memory for as long as possible. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the easiest ways to keep your sympathy flowers fresh, vibrant, and meaningful in the days following the service.
Caring for Your Sympathy Bouquets After the Funeral: Top Recommendations
When you take sympathy flowers home from a service, they usually come in big, formal arrangements or on special foam bases. To keep them from wilting too soon due to the stress of travel, you need to pay close attention to them when you move them into a home setting.
Step 1: Check the Water Source
Floral foam, which holds a lot of water, is used to make most funeral sprays and baskets. But this foam can dry out quickly after it has been moved. Touch the foam every day to see if it is still moist. If it feels a little dry, carefully pour water into the middle of the arrangement. Change the water completely every two days if the flowers are in a regular vase. The main enemy of cut flowers is bacteria, and the best way to fight them is with clean, fresh water.
Step 2: Do a Fresh Cut
One of the best things you can do for flowers in a vase is to cut the stems. Cut the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle with sharp scissors or floral shears. This angled cut increases water absorption and prevents the stem from sitting flat against the bottom of the container, which can block water intake.
Step 3: Keep the Temperature Optimal
Funeral homes are usually kept pretty cool, but the temperature in your home may vary by area. Keep your bouquet out of direct sunlight, heating vents, and windows that let in drafts to make it last longer. Too much heat will cause the flowers to lose their petals and dry out. Also, don’t put your flowers near fruit that is getting ripe. Apples and bananas, for example, give off ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening and causes flowers to die much faster.
Some More Tips from Experts
There are some trade secrets that professional florists know that can help your tribute flowers last even longer.
Get Rid of Dead Blooms
As some of the flowers in the arrangement start to fade, take them out right away. Mould and bacteria can spread from rotting petals to nearby healthy flowers. This allows the plant’s remaining energy to go to the buds that haven’t opened yet by cutting off the parts that are dying.
Follow the Directions on the Flower Food Packet
That little plastic packet that comes with your bouquet isn’t just a suggestion. It contains food for the flowers, an acidifier to keep the water’s pH stable, and a biocide to kill bacteria. Don’t use the whole packet at once if you have a big arrangement. Every time you change the water, add a little bit.
Trim the Leaves that are Below the Waterline
Any leaves or plants that are below the waterline in a vase will rot. This makes the water cloudy and prevents proper water absorption. Take a moment to remove the lower leaves so that only clean stems are in the water.
Spraying the Petals
Some flowers, such as orchids and hydrangeas, can absorb water through their petals. If the air in your house is dry, a light mist with a spray bottle once a day will help them stay hydrated.
The Re-Potting Strategy
If you got a potted sympathy plant rather than a cut bouquet, check to see how wet the soil is. A lot of the time, gift plants are wrapped in pretty foil that keeps water at the bottom. Make holes in the foil, or remove it completely, so the roots can breathe and don’t sit in water, which can cause root rot.
Looking for High-Quality Sympathy Flowers That Stay Fresh Longer? Find at Compassion Flowers
Taking care of sympathy flowers is a quiet, thoughtful way to deal with your grief while being surrounded by the beauty and life your loved ones wanted to share with you. No cut flower stays fresh forever, but if you put in the extra work to trim the stems, change the water, and find the best place for them in your home, these gifts of love will stay a comfort for as long as possible. When the flowers do fade, you can always press a few petals between the pages of a heavy book or dry the whole bouquet upside down to make a lasting memory of the support you received during this time.
We at Compassion Flowers know that sympathy flowers are more than just a gift; they are a way to show love and honor a life well lived. That’s why we put freshness and quality at the top of our list. We get our flowers from the best growers so that every petal is bright and every stem is strong.
Our skilled florists make each arrangement with longevity in mind. We use methods that keep the flowers healthy and hydrated from the time they leave our store until they get to the service. We have a wide range of arrangements that will last, whether you want a traditional standing spray, a delicate casket tribute, or a bouquet to make a friend feel better at home. Visit our website to explore our collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to put flowers for sympathy in the fridge overnight?
Yes, if you have room. To slow down the flowers’ metabolism, florists keep them in coolers. Just make sure the fridge isn’t set to freezing and that there are no fruits in it. Ethylene gas from fruits will harm the flowers.
How often should I replace the water in my sympathy vase?
You should change the water every other day. Change the water right away if it looks cloudy or yellowish. This means bacteria are growing, which will shorten your flowers’ life.
How do I know if a plant that I sent as a gift needs water?
Put your finger in the soil about an inch. Time to water if it feels dry. Wait another day if the soil is still wet. Overwatering is the most common reason plants die, so it’s usually better to water a plant a little less than to overwater it.