Care tips
Fleurop florists look after many cut flowers and plants in their shops day after day, ensuring that they enjoy the perfect conditions for a long life.
Here are the most important tips and tricks from these dedicated professionals.
Fleurop & cut flowers: do's and don'ts
Dos
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Put bouquets in vases with their binding
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Cut flower stems diagonally with a sharp knife
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Choose a clean, adequately sized vase
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Fill the vase with cool water
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Add floral preservative to the water
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Top up or change the water daily
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Look for a cool location
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Transportation in general: place stems in moist packaging
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Transportation in sub-zero temperatures: pack blooms in paper (one layer per degree of frost)
Don'ts
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NEVER cut open the binding of a bouquet
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NEVER cut flower stems with scissors
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NEVER transport or store flowers for more than around 15 minutes without water
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NEVER fill the vase with ice-cold water (use cool water)
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NEVER add sugar, aspirin, etc., to the water
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NEVER place the vase in direct sunshine or too close to a radiator
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NEVER place flowers in the window
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NEVER place flowers close to fruit
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NEVER leave flowers in the car in the sun
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NO draughts
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NO direct current of air from an air conditioning unit
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NEVER transport flowers at sub-zero temperatures without packing them well
Fleurop & bouquets: care tips
To enjoy your Fleurop bouquet for as long as possible, follow these tips:
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Never cut open the binding of a bouquet. That way, it will hold the florist's design and keep for longer.
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Fleurop supplies the right cut flower food with every bouquet. Add this to the cool water in the vase.
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Choose a vase that will allow the stems to be in water up to the binding. The basic rule is that the height of the vase should be one third of the total height of the bouquet.
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Remove any leaves that are touching the water.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your bouquet to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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Check the water level every day and top up if needed.
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Remove single dead blossoms. They accelerate the natural process of withering.
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When you receive the bouquet from the Fleurop flower shop, it is professionally cut so that the flowers absorb water quickly and efficiently. However, you can prolong the life of your bouquet if you cut the stems diagonally again with a sharp knife (not scissors) after a few days.
Fleurop & cut flowers: care tips
Find out from Fleurop professionals here how to keep your cut flowers fresh for even longer:
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Cut flowers from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
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If you do not receive your flowers in this condition, remove any leaves that would touch the water when you arrange them as well as extraneous side shoots, over-abundant foliage and damaged leaves and blossoms.
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Then cut each stem diagonally with a sharp knife (not with scissors).
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Choose an absolutely clean vase that is tall enough. As a rule, one third of the stems should be in the water.
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Place the flowers in cool (never ice-cold) water.
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Add floral preservative to the water, never use sugar or similar substances instead. Sugar encourages rotting.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your flowers to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If there is floral preservative in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water every day.
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Take this opportunity to cut the flower stems again and clean the vase.
A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should clean vases - e. g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Fleurop & cut flowers: tricks to prevent drooping heads
If your cut flowers are limp or their heads are drooping, you don't have to copy them. Here are two tricks from Fleurop:
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Encourage the flowers to absorb water by cutting the stems with a sharp knife then placing them in hot water (50-60 degrees) 5-15 cm deep, depending on the length of the stems, for a few minutes, then immediately afterwards in hand-hot water.
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It also helps if you wrap drooping cut flowers in a taut paper cover for a few hours. Take care not to let the paper touch the water, as this will cause marks on sensitive leaves and blossoms.
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The above measures are particularly effective in combination.
Fleurop & Advent wreaths: tips to keep them fresh for even longer
How well your wreath or arrangement survives the Advent period depends largely on the conifer selected. Taxus, chamaecyparis, cypress, noble fir, pine and box hold up particularly well. Especially attractive in colour are the dark green mountain pine, blue-green cupressus arizonica and the yellow chamaecyparis 'Plumosa Aurea'.
It's best to buy wreaths or arrangements where the conifer is embedded in floral foam that has been soaked in water. If you water these carefully once or twice a week, your decorative element will see you through the whole of December.
Please note: when candles burn down, they should be changed in good time for safety reasons. It is also recommended to place wreaths and arrangements on a glass, metal or ceramic plate. This not only looks attractive, but also protects the furniture and, importantly, is a good fire guard.
Available from Fleurop and florists from mid-November to Christmas. Order Advent wreaths here
Fleurop & roses: care tips
Roses head the popularity rankings all over the world. Find out from Fleurop professionals here how to keep them fresh for even longer:
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Roses from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
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If you do not receive your roses in this condition, remove all leaves that would touch the water.
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Cut each stem with a sharp knife (not with scissors).
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Make a long, diagonal cut.
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Choose an absolutely clean vase that is tall enough. For roses, the water has to come at least half way up the stem.
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Place the flowers in cool (never ice-cold) water.
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Add floral preservative to the water, never use sugar or similar substances instead. Sugar encourages rotting.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your roses to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If there is floral preservative in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water every day.
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Take this opportunity to cut the rose stems again and clean the vase.
A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should clean vases - e. g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Available from Fleurop and florists all year round. Order roses here
Fleurop & amaryllis (cut flowers): care tips
A
n increasing number of people are enthralled by the almost unbelievable beauty of the amaryllis. All the more so because the amaryllis as a cut flower is now available in a very wide variety of colours from deep red, Bordeaux and pink to salmon, vanilla, white and even bicoloured. Here are some care tips from Fleurop:
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Amaryllis flowers from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
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Because the thick stem is hollow, it curls up in water. For this reason, Fleurop flower shops wind narrow raffia (or a rubber band) two or three times round the base of the stem.
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Because amaryllis flowers are tall, Fleurop florists insert a thin rod in the thick, hollow stem, depending on the arrangement, so that it doesn't buckle.
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If you are arranging cut amaryllis flowers yourself, combine them with conifer twigs, for example, to give the heavy bloom more support.
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Select an absolutely clean vase that is tall enough and only add a little water in order to prevent the stem from rotting.
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Place the flowers in cool (never ice-cold) water.
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Add floral preservative to the water, never use sugar or similar substances instead. Sugar encourages rotting.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your amaryllises to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If there is floral preservative in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water every day.
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Clean the vase before replacing the flowers.
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Make a fresh cut in the stems and rinse them under running water. Push the raffia or rubber band up a little and cut each stem diagonally with a sharp knife (not scissors).
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To avoid pressure marks, don't lay the flowers on the blossoms when changing the water. Keep another container on hand or lay them on the edge of the table in such a way that the blossoms are in the air.
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Remove withered blossoms with a pair of scissors.
A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should clean vases - e. g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Available from Fleurop and florists from November to New Year. Order amaryllis flowers here
Fleurop & amaryllis (plant): care tips
Here are some tips from Fleurop if you want to watch your amaryllis growing and therefore buy a bulb:
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Choose a pot with a diameter not much bigger than that of the bulb.
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When you plant it, make sure that at least one third of the bulb is above the earth.
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Once the bulb has been planted, it needs around six to eight weeks before it is in full bloom.
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Water it sparingly just after you plant it. The plant only needs more water when the stem is about 20 cm tall and the bud appears.
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Generally, an amaryllis plant needs a light, not too warm position (18°C is ideal). When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight or anywhere close to radiators or fruit.
Available from Fleurop and florists from November to New Year. Order amaryllis
Fleurop and candles: care tips
Candles are growing in popularity: "just" on their own or in lamps, indoors and outdoors. They are atmospheric, soothing, romantic, elegant and simply beautiful. Here are some tips so that you can enjoy your candles for even longer:
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Treat yourself to a high-quality candle (see our tips on the right choice below). It will burn for much longer and more evenly and won't drip or smoke.
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Place candles on a fire-proof, horizontal base that can catch any flowing wax. This is a good fire guard and also looks decorative. Alternatively, you can of course place a candle in a lamp or a glass vase. Some birdcage sand sprinkled into it beforehand allows any flowing wax to be absorbed so that you don't face the laborious task of scraping it out.
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Always trim back the wick of a new candle in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Then always re-trim it to this length later on.
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You will undoubtedly be aware that you should not burn candles close to flammable objects, including firelighter gel and nail polish remover.
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Every time you light a candle, let it burn until the wax melts right to the edge. Otherwise, a crater will form. If a rim of wax develops, trim it off with a knife while the wax is still soft.
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Burning candles are sensitive and cannot tolerate draughts.
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When you extinguish the candle, dip the wick briefly into the wax and carefully position it upright again immediately. This prevents unpleasant smoke and ensures that the wick does not dry out, is less brittle and can be lighted again quickly.
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You should always remove foreign objects such as fragments of wicks, matches, etc.
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Be sure to leave enough space between candles if you are burning several alongside one another.
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To keep your candles looking beautiful, store them in a cool, dry, dark place.
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By the way: you can straighten bent candles by dipping them in water at a good hand-hot temperature until the wax is easy to bend. Then carefully straighten them and dip them immediately in cold water.
Fleurop and candles: making the right choice
Fleurop florists use high-quality candles, most of them produced in Switzerland. These are often a little more expensive, but they burn for longer and more evenly without dripping or smoking. Good examples of Swiss candles are those supplied by Schulthess or Weizenkorn.
The difference between these and many products from other countries lies in the quality of the basic material. Swiss companies purchase high-quality, fully refined paraffin wax with a low oil content. In addition, they seek out reliable suppliers and remain loyal to them for decades. The advantage is that the wax supplier and the candle manufacturer then develop a basis of trust that they can build on. Another important difference lies in the choice of the right wick for the paraffin wax. However, even high-quality candles like to be well treated, particularly dipped, solid-coloured or scented ones. - Read our tips on this subject (see above).
Fleurop & Christmas roses: care tips
The Christmas rose is one of the very few truly seasonal, cult plants and is particularly popular with customers during Advent. 
If you want to enjoy these precious, delicate blooms for as long as possible, you should carefully cut the ends of the stems crosswise, place them in plenty of water, put them in the coolest position possible and change the water daily.
If, on the other hand, you opt for a Christmas rose pot plant, it will come to no harm at the house entrance, on the patio table or on the windowsill. Clip the blossoms when they start to go off. Christmas roses can also be planted in the garden in the spring. Christmas roses look extremely elegant in a pretty planter and are an unusual gift.
Available from Fleurop and florists from mid-November to Christmas. Order Christmas roses here
Fleurop & chrysanthemums (plants): care tips
Chrysanthemums can be grown all year round in the garden (as border plants) or cultivated in balcony boxes, pots or tubs where they can overwinter frost-free.
Care tips for the balcony and patio:
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The best position for tubs, boxes and pots is somewhere light and sheltered. For the buds to open, chrysanthemums generally need three to four hours of sunshine a day. They don't like the full mid-day sun.
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Leave the soil to dry between waterings, but don't let it dry out completely. If plants are waterlogged, it can lead to root rot; if the root ball is too dry, the buds may drop off.
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Especially in smaller pots, the soil can dry out pretty quickly on warm days, even in autumn. A water bath may then be advisable to enable the chrysanthemum's large number of blooms to recover. Drain the pot well afterwards.
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Chrysanthemums can only be grown year-round in balcony boxes, tubs and pots in mild regions with mild winters.
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However, if you want to try it, choose good, frost-hardy varieties. The pots need to be placed in a sheltered spot for the winter, e.g. beside a house wall. In addition, temperatures should not fall below -15 degrees Celsius. It is better to put the pots, boxes or tubs in a frost-free place for the winter, at temperatures around 5 degrees Celsius.
Care tips for the garden:
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Only good, frost-hardy varieties are suitable for year-round cultivation in the garden. Ask your specialist retailer.
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A sunny or partially shaded position is ideal.
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How often they have to be watered will depend on the soil and position. If these herbaceous perennials are grown in a sunny place, the soil will dry out faster than in part shade. Allow the soil to dry, but not dry out, from spring to autumn. Insufficient water may cause the buds to dry out, particularly during flower formation. Depending on the weather, the plants need little or no watering from October to April.
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Winter protection with foliage or fir branches may be useful until the chrysanthemums are established. This also applies in regions with harsh climates and for autumn plantings.
Available from September to November from Fleurop and florists. Order chrysanthemums HERE.
Fleurop & chrysanthemums (cut flowers): care tips
They're available again from the late summer onwards: gorgeous disbudded chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum x grandiflorum) with their large, ball-shaped blooms that can be up to 20 cm in size. Find out here from Fleurop professionals how these long-lasting flowers can be made to last even longer:
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Cut flowers from the Fleurop florist are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
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As disbudded chrysanthemums are very delicate, they are also packed in tissue paper with particular care at Fleurop florists.
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If a petal falls off a bloom when the flowers are arranged or when the water is changed, there is a risk that the entire blossom will fall apart. You should therefore drip a little candle wax on the place where the petal has fallen off.
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If you do not receive your flowers ready for the vase, remove any leaves that would touch the water when you arrange them as well as extraneous side shoots, over-abundant foliage and damaged leaves and blossoms.
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Then cut each stem diagonally with a sharp knife (not with scissors).
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Choose an absolutely clean vase that is tall enough. As a rule, one third of the stems should be in the water.
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Place the flowers in cool (never ice-cold) water.
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Add floral preservative to the water, never use sugar or similar substances instead. Sugar encourages rotting.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your flowers to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If floral preservative is in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water every day.
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Take this opportunity to cut the flower stems again and clean the vase.
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A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should wash vases - e.g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Available from September to November from Fleurop and florists. Order chrysanthemums HERE.
Fleurop & Christmas trees: care tips
More and more Swiss people want to have a Christmas tree. The right tips and tricks help to keep it alive as long as possible:
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The most popular tree in Switzerland is the Nordmann fir. It is the most expensive, but it drops very few needles and holds up best. Although the spruce and the silver fir have the longest history as Christmas trees in our latitudes, they drop their needles relatively soon, the silver fir not quite as quickly as the spruce.
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The paler the tree is at the point where the trunk has been cut, the fresher it is when purchased.
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Store it in a cool place in a bucket full of water until Christmas comes.
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Before you finally put your tree up, get it used to warm room temperatures step by step by placing it for at least half a day in a cool room (or in the garage).
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Keep it well away from stoves and radiators and - if you decorate your tree with candles - also from highly flammable furnishings.
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Use a Christmas tree stand with a built-in water reservoir and add floral preservative to the water.
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Spray the tree frequently with a water atomiser.
If you opt for a Christmas tree planted in soil - like those from Fleurop - you should not plant it in the garden straight from the warm living room after the holidays, but rather acclimatise it step by step to cold temperatures and then keep it in a sheltered place - e.g. on the balcony - until spring. Only then can it be planted out.
Available from Fleurop and florists from mid-November to Christmas. Order a living, decorated Christmas tree in a pot here
Fleurop & flowering twigs: care tips
Flowering twigs are particularly popular in springtime. Find out from Fleurop professionals here how to keep them longer:
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Flowering twigs from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase. -
If you do not receive your flowering twigs in this condition, remove all leaves that would touch the water as well as extraneous side shoots, over-abundant foliage and damaged leaves and blossoms.
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Then cut each twig with a sharp knife.
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The cut should be a deep diagonal (up to 5 cm long).
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For thicker twigs, you should also make a vertical cut of around 5 cm in length or crush around 5-8 cm of the ends with a hammer. Important: you must make sure that the inner part of the woody stem reaches the water.
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Choose an absolutely clean vase that is tall and stable enough.
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Place the flowering twigs in cool (never ice-cold) water.
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Add floral preservative to the water, never use sugar or similar substances instead. Sugar encourages rotting.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your flowering twigs to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If there is floral preservative in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water every day.
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Take this opportunity to cut the flowering twigs again and clean the vase.
A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should clean vases - e. g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Available in flower shops in season. Look for a Fleurop florist near you here
Fleurop & narcissi: care tips
Narcissi and daffodils are loners. They excrete a sap that has a negative effect on other cut flowers, clogging their capillaries so that they are unable to absorb water and soon wither. Here are some tips from Fleurop's professionals on how to prevent these negative effects:
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Narcissi from the Fleurop florist are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase and the sap has already been removed.
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If you pluck narcissi in your own garden, you should place them in water separately for about 24 hours so that they can excrete their sap. You can then combine them with other flowers.
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Do NOT cut the stems of narcissi or daffodils after the sap is gone.
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If you are in a hurry, Fleurop florists have a special cut flower food that you can add to their water to neutralise them.
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Choose an absolutely clean vase that is tall enough. As a rule, one third of the stems should be in the water.
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Place the flowers in cool (never ice-cold) water.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your narcissi or daffodils to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If the special cut flower food is in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water and clean the vase every day.
A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should clean vases - e. g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Available from Fleurop and florists from the end of February to around the middle of April. Order narcissi and daffodils here
Fleurop & olive trees: care tips
First of all, we should point out that olive trees are not indoor pot plants, but are intended for the patio or balcony. However, they are not frost hardy and should therefore be brought indoors in winter and kept in a cool but light position at a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 8 degrees Celsius. Olive trees need to be fed regularly from the spring onwards (until the end of July). However, they do not need very much water. Do water them, but it's a good idea to let them dry out from time to time. They detest being waterlogged, so you should choose a soil that allows good drainage. Position? As a typical southerner, the olive tree likes it bright, sunny and if possible hot.
Fleurop & orchids: care tips
Orchids are exclusive exotics. They are epiphytes and in their natural environment are mostly accustomed to humid, warm climates. They are easily cared for, long-lived plants which make elegant presents and are also welcome in your own home. Your orchid will keep for many months with these tips from Fleurop.
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Orchids should be watered sparingly rather than generously. Water them with caution. When you do water an orchid, it is best to place the plant in a water bath and then let it drain off thoroughly. In this connection, it is a good idea to put a 2-3 cm layer of expanded clay or gravel on the bottom of the planter to absorb any excess water. Orchids absolutely cannot stand being waterlogged.
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For a medium-sized pot, it is enough to water the plant once a week in winter and possibly twice a week in summer. Naturally, the frequency depends on the size of the pot and the variety of orchid. Tip: lift the plastic orchid pot briefly. If the plant seems unusually light it needs watering; if the pot is still heavy you can wait a little longer.
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Most orchids come from regions with high humidity. You will provide sufficient humidity by spraying the leaves with "Blattpflege für Orchideen" orchid leaf care, which also acts as a dust repellent.
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Do not feed an orchid too frequently. As the growth phase of most orchids is from spring to autumn, feed it every 2-4 weeks during this period. In between times, give it pure water to flush out salt residues. You should feed it much less in winter. Special liquid orchid food is best.
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It is essential to use orchid potting soil when you transplant your orchid, otherwise it will have no chance of survival.
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Only ever cut off dried-up parts. If a stem is still green, leave it even if it no longer displays any blooms. It is not unusual for an orchid to put out new shoots at precisely that point.
Available from Fleurop and florists all year round. Order orchids here
Fleurop and orchids: recognising errors in their care
Rot is the worst enemy of any orchid. It will kill a plant in no time at all. The most important thing is therefore not to overwater your orchid. However, there are other things that will harm this sophisticated exotic. Here are some tips from Fleurop about how to recognise the signs of errors in care:
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A large number of small, fresh shoots indicates that the room temperature is too high.
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A whitish coating on the planting substrate and the pot are signs that there is too much salt in the water you are giving the plant. In that case use rainwater, tap water that has been left to stand, water that has been softened using a filter or boiled water.
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Brown edges and points to the leaves could indicate a lack of humidity.
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Long, thin and pale leaves or shoots are a symptom of insufficient light.
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Reddish leaves or shoots are more likely to be a sign of too much sun.
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By the way: although orchids flower continuously, they do need a rest phase. If your orchid obstinately refuses to bloom, the most likely cause is that it has missed a cool period. Just put your orchid somewhere cooler for a couple of months.
Available from Fleurop and florists all year round. Order orchids here
Fleurop & pot plants: how to feed them properly
Plants only need to be fed in their growth period, which for most of them is between the spring and the autumn, but is in the autumn and winter for winter flowering plants. Commercial plant foods have proved effective, and the work has also become easier with the introduction of fertiliser sticks and slow-release fertilisers. Buy a suitable plant food and use it in accordance with the package instructions. A universal fertiliser is often adequate and supplies plants with the key nutrients. However, purchasing special plant food for roses, cacti, orchids and flowering balcony plants, for example, is worthwhile. The same applies to herbs, where an organic fertiliser is definitely the most intelligent solution. Important: do not overdose. And always feed them after watering or add the fertiliser to their water. If you feed plants when they are dry, there is a risk that the roots may burn. An excessive concentration of fertiliser salts can lead to plants being unable to absorb water, and water will be withdrawn from their tissue. Not least, the protein in the plants will suffer practically irreversible damage.
Fleurop & pot plants: how to water them correctly
Different plants need different amounts of water, so there are no hard-and-fast rules about watering them. However, Fleurop advises you to water them too sparingly rather than overdoing it. Too much water drives the oxygen out of the soil and suffocates the roots. Plants are literally "watered to death". Here are some additional ground rules:
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Cacti and succulents do not need much water. Depending on their position and the variety of plant, they may only need to be watered once a month.
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Abundantly flowering, large-leaved plants have a high rate of evaporation and accordingly need a lot of water.
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Plants with fleshy roots such as asparagus, clivias and spider plants cope with drought better than others because they can store water.
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If you have plants of the pineapple family, which have a funnel of leaves in their centre (e. g. billbergias and guzmanias), you should always be able to see a little water in the funnel while the pot ball should not be too moist.
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Most plants can be watered from the top. However, they can also absorb water from the planter or saucer with their roots.
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Important: water that has not been absorbed from the planter or saucer within two hours must be removed. If the soil gets waterlogged, the fine hair roots die and the plants dry out even though they are standing in water.
The amount and frequency with which plants need to be watered also depends on the room temperature. The best thing to do is to test the moisture level of the pot ball with a finger to discover whether or not a plant needs water.
Fleurop & poinsettias (cut flowers): care tips
Cutting the stems of poppies and poinsettia flowers is a bit of a special case. Find out from Fleurop professionals here how to keep them fresh for longer:
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Poppies and euphorbias (which also include poinsettias) from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
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If you do not receive your flowers in this condition, you need to be aware that cutting doesn't agree with them. So either don't cut them, or if you do, dip the end of the stem (approx. 5 cm) in hot water immediately afterwards. Alternatively, you can flame them briefly with a cigarette lighter. This ensures that the sticky, milky sap excreted by these flowers when cut will coagulate and the flowers will not "bleed to death". Do not cut these flowers again later on.
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Choose an absolutely clean vase that is tall enough. One third of the stems should be in the water.
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Place the flowers in cool (never ice-cold) water.
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Add floral preservative to the water, never use sugar or similar substances instead. Sugar encourages rotting.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your flowers to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If there is floral preservative in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water every day. Please note: do NOT cut the stems, but do rinse them under running water.
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Clean the vase before replacing the flowers.
A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should clean vases - e. g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Poppies: available from Fleurop and florists from January to Mother's Day. Order bouquets with poppies here
Poinsettias: available from Fleurop and florists from November to Christmas. Order poinsettias as a pot plant or bouquet here
Fleurop & poinsettias (plant): care tips
The poinsettia is THE plant for Advent and Christmas and people love it for its many colour variations and shapes. Your poinsettias will last even longer with these tips from Fleurop:
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As southerners, poinsettias are very sensitive to cold. When you transport them, you should therefore package them carefully: warmly, so that they don't "freeze", carefully, because they're sensitive to pressure.
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Poinsettias need to be placed where there's plenty of light. If they get too little, the leaves turn yellow.
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These plants thrive best at normal room temperature. Take care not to let it drop below 18 degrees Celsius.
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Poinsettias don't need a lot of water, but they can't tolerate either drying out totally or being waterlogged. In other words: keep these plants at a constant level of moisture and make sure there's no water left in the saucer.
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Please note: draughts spell disaster for a poinsettia.
Available in November and December from Fleurop and florists. Order poinsettias here
Fleurop & poppies: care tips
Cutting the stems of poppies and poinsettia flowers is a bit of a special case. Find out from Fleurop professionals here how to keep them fresh for longer:
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Poppies and euphorbias (which also include poinsettias) from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
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If you do not receive your flowers in this condition, you need to be aware that cutting doesn't agree with them. So either don't cut them, or if you do, dip the end of the stem (approx. 5 cm) in hot water immediately afterwards. Alternatively, you can flame them briefly with a cigarette lighter. This ensures that the sticky, milky sap excreted by these flowers when cut will coagulate and the flowers will not "bleed to death". Do not cut these flowers again later on.
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Choose an absolutely clean vase that is tall enough. One third of the stems should be in the water.
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Place the flowers in cool (never ice-cold) water.
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Add floral preservative to the water, never use sugar or similar substances instead. Sugar encourages rotting.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your flowers to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If there is floral preservative in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water every day. Please note: do NOT cut the stems, but do rinse them under running water.
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Clean the vase before replacing the flowers.
A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should clean vases - e. g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Poppies: available from Fleurop and florists from January to Mother's Day. Order bouquets with poppies here
Poinsettias: available from Fleurop and florists from November to Christmas. Order poinsettias as a pot plant or bouquet here
Fleurop & pot plants: making the right choice
Whether a pot plant thrives depends primarily on whether you give it the position it needs. So do get some advice and tell the Fleurop professional about the light conditions and humidity, for example, at its future location.
Without sufficient light, plants cannot process either water or food. Even plants that don't need a lot of light often wither because their needs are underestimated. For example, if a plant is 2-3 m away from the window, only 10 percent of the radiation it would receive in the open air will be available. Special plant lamps are helpful here.
The room temperature and humidity are also important. A lot of pot plants come from regions with a humidity of around 90 percent, but homes generally only have 40 percent - especially in winter. If room temperatures of up to 25 degrees are added, the humidity has to be increased, e. g. by putting evaporating dishes in place. Plants can tolerate these better than spraying, which can also damage furniture. Grouping several plants also creates a somewhat moister microclimate and may be helpful.
Fleurop & sunflowers: care tips
Sunflowers with their positive charisma are extremely popular. Here are some tips from the Fleurop professionals on prolonging their life in a vase:
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Sunflowers from the Fleurop flower shop are always sold or delivered ready to put in the vase.
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If you are cutting sunflowers in the field, please do it in the morning. That's when they are most likely to be saturated with water and are better able to stand the stress of being plucked.
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Remove the leaves except for the top 1-2 rows right there on the spot to reduce evaporation through the large leaves.
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If you buy sunflowers from a florist, they should be carried for the shortest possible distance.
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Don't leave the flowers lying in the car. Warmth or actual sunlight will kill them.
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Cut the stems to the right length with a sharp knife (not scissors). To ensure that they absorb water efficiently, the cut surface should be long and smooth.
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Run hot water into a bucket and keep the stem ends in it for a few minutes at a depth of approximately 10 cm. This will remove air that may have penetrated and improve water absorption.
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Choose an absolutely clean vase that is tall enough and very stable and place the sunflowers in cool to hand hot water.
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Add floral preservative to the water, never use sugar or similar substances instead. Sugar encourages rotting.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your sunflowers to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass. If the bouquet of sunflowers is outside, you should keep it out of the wind (otherwise it will dry out).
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As sunflowers thrive in summer, there is a high risk that they may rot in the vase when room temperatures are fairly high. Therefore, change the water and clean the vase every day.
A propos cleaning the vase: Kukident or Corega Tabs work wonderfully. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Available from Fleurop and florists from July to October. Order sunflowers here
Fleurop & tulips: care tips
At one time, tulips enchanted sultans and harem ladies and almost drove the Dutch to ruin. Today, we love them. As they are Switzerland's absolute favourite spring flower and also Fleurop's top seller, here are some care tips:
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At a proper florist's, tulips are always sold with the colour of the flower visible in the bud. Look out for that because obtaining beautiful blooms later on depends on it.
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Before they are put in the vase, tulips should be cut diagonally with a sharp knife (never scissors). If the cut areas discolour in water after a few days, just cut the stems again.
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Choose an absolutely clean vase.
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Tulips are capricious and have a life of their own. If you put a bouquet consisting only of tulips into a short, round vase, it encourages the tulips stems to bend picturesquely. In tall, slim glasses, on the other hand, the stems tend to remain straight.
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Place then in a few centimetres of cool (never ice-cold) water and add floral preservative. You probably won't need the full portion for such a small amount of water, so check the instructions on the sachet.
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Please note: tulips are thirsty creatures! It is best to put these harbingers of spring in a glass vase such as one from Fleurop. It is not only elegant, but allows you to see the water level so that you can top up in good time.
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Find a cool, draught-free position if possible. If this is not possible during the day, treat your tulips to a cool place overnight at least.
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When choosing a position, avoid bright sunlight, anywhere close to radiators or fruit, or anywhere behind glass.
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If there is floral preservative in the water, top up the water daily.
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If you are not using floral preservative, you should change the water every day.
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Take this opportunity to cut the tulips again and clean the vase.
A propos cleaning the vase: the vase has to be really free of germs and should also be free of soap residues. For this reason, you should clean vases - e. g. vases from Fleurop - in the dishwasher if possible. Tip: Kukident or Corega Tabs also work well. Just place a tablet in the vase with fresh water, leave to act overnight and rinse.
Available from Fleurop and florists from January to around the middle of April. Order tulips here