Choosing the Freshest and Best Flowers!!

So a lot of our customers always ask us this question: “How do we choose the best of the lot when it comes to buying flowers?” Or “ How can we tell which are the freshest flowers while buying in our local market?”

Well to answer these questions lets first understand the logistics behind the fresh-cut flower business.

In and around Pune, there are a lot of small farmers and floriculturists who grow a variety of flowers like Roses,Carnations,Gladiolus, Tube Roses, Marigold etc, in small quantities. These are harvested a couple of times a week only, and they usually do not have their own vehicles to deliver this produce to the Pune markets, which is why the flowers are packed in with fruits and Veggie supplies and sent to the flower market.

The wholesalers at the flower market get these assorted stocks every morning and sell these on to retailers and decorators till which point most of these flowers have not been kept in water, or a temperature controlled environment, and that’s when you step up to your local flower vendor and start trying to sift through your weekly flower purchase.

Even with exotic varieties that come from Ooty via Bangalore, there is a long chain before the flowers end up with your local flower vendor and not always in the best conditions.

To avoid this long chain, we at Shamun’s Flowers always prefer to buy directly from farms, which ensures the flowers haven’t spent too much time being shuttled around and this results in a longer vase life for our customers. We even have flowers flown in during some months when the weather is too warm to get the freshest produce. That being said most florists don’t have direct supplies, and you must determine which flowers are going to last in your home from their selections.

So lets get down to the basics of how to select the best and freshest of the lot.

• Always check the Buds for Roses

When buying Roses always press the buds between your fingers to check if its gone soft. If its firm the roses are fine.

• Always check the bottom of the Stems

For most flowers that have been kept for long, the bottom of the stems will start to decompose or get discolored, so this is a great way to tell if the flowers are a few days old.

• Always check the color of the leaves

If you see a bit of yellow on the leaves of any flowers that’s a good sign that they are a few days old, rarely are flowers harvested with yellowing leaves.

• Always check the petals

Make sure there is no browning on the petals of most flowers, like roses,carnations,chrysanthemums.

For flowers like Lilies, its better to buy them in bud form and let them bloom in time to ensure a longer vase life, but do make sure that there is a bit of color on the bud or it might not bloom at all.

Also with orchids, there should be a couple of unopened buds on the stem to ensure a longer life to the flower.

Avoid using asparagus greens as they tend to shed after a day and the yellowing ruins the whole arrangement, try Kamini Grass,Eucalyptus leaves,Draceana Leaves as they last longer and don’t create a mess.

The best way to ensure you are getting fresh flowers is to buy it from a florist, it might cost a bit more but you can be sure the flowers will last longer, or you can try the “Shamun’s Flowers Floral Library” where we send you the best flowers every 5-6 days for your home or office all year round at a discounted rate, so you can be assured that you are getting the best.