How to Process Flowers

Before you start, it's important to read all the

instructions thoroughly before proceeding.

Familiarize yourself with all the steps

to avoid any confusion later.

1. Count Your Bunches

This might seem a no-brainer, but it is an essential step. Count your bunches before you unwrap them. All garden and standard roses are packed in layers. At first glance, it might look like you only have 6-10 stems, but there are usually 12-25 stems layered in the cardboard wrapping.

2. Search Through All Paper & Packing 

Flowers are delicate, and they are often wrapped tightly in paper to protect them during transit. During the unwrapping process, some of them might get accidentally thrown away with the packing trash. So, ensure you search through all paper and packing trash to find any hidden blooms. 

3. Cut Stems & Hydrate

Once you've sorted your flowers, cut 2-4" off the stems. Immediately place them in clean water. During the first hour of hydration, leave all the cardboard and plastic wrapping on the flowers. This allows the flowers to rehydrate after shipping while keeping them upright to prevent drooping.

4. Clean & Prep Your Flowers

After an hour of hydrating, it's time to remove all wrapping an prep your flowers. This stage involves removing all unwanted foliage, ugly guard petals, and any leaves that fall below the waterline. If lower leaves are not removed, they can rot in the water and damage your flowers. 

5. Size-Appropriate Containers

Containers should never be taller than the flower head. Short, plastic trash cans from Walmart work the best! All small, delicate flowers need their own vase and need to be handled with excessive care. 

6. Loss is Normal

In the world of florists, it's normal to expect to lose about 5% of your shipment. Don't fret if you break a few stems, or if some blooms are smashed in transit, or if there are some bug-nibbled greenery. These are all part of the process! You can save any broken stems for cake flowers, boutonnieres, or for flower girl petals!