4 Lighting Tips For Fresh Cut Flowers
Posted by Nancy's Floral on 24th Nov 2020
At this point in 2020, many of us have become accustomed to spending more time indoors than usual. If you’re looking to bring a bit of the outdoors in, a delivery of freshly cut flowers can be a great way to freshen things up in your home. Interestingly, when you’re thinking of where to place your flowers to get the most out of them, you’ll want to consider the lighting you’re exposing them to.
How Light Impacts Cut Flowers
Unlike a potted or other indoor plant, cut flowers do not need direct sunlight for a long life. Since they’ve already been cut away from the main plant, cut flowers simply need a moderate environment with plenty of visibility to enjoy their beauty. There are some things to consider when it comes to placing your flowers under and around lighting sources, however.
Here are the main things to consider:
Regarding Direct Sunlight
As mentioned above, cut flowers do not actually need to be placed in direct sunlight. Many of our customers mistakenly assume that sunlight will automatically prolong the beauty of cut flowers, which can actually cause the flowers to wilt sooner than expected.
While exposure to sunlight is completely fine in isolation, prolonged exposure to sunlight will cause your cut flowers to dry out more quickly and the heat from the sunlight can lead to shriveling, wilting, or drooping buds. Indirect sunlight is almost always fine, even all day long, but direct sunlight for just a couple of hours a day can actually do damage to the flowers.
Bright, Not Harsh
The last thing we’d want for your home is to hide your flowers away in a shady or less-visible area of the home just to protect their lifespan. After all, cut flowers were made to be enjoyed as much as possible!
So, when you’re looking for a place to set your flowers, be sure to choose a spot that you can enjoy them regularly. One thing you would not want to do, though, is place them directly under a harsh light for long periods of time.
For instance, if your dining room is bright during use, but that’s only for a few hours a day, that should be fine. Likewise, setting the flowers on the kitchen counter where natural light keeps the room lit during the day and occasional lights are on in the evening is an ideal environment.
The only situation you’d want to avoid if looking for long-lasting cut flowers is placing them in the path of a bright or frequently illuminated light fixture. As long as you keep them in a bright spot that wouldn’t be classified as “harsh” lighting, you’ll likely be in great shape.
Consider the Heat
As indicated in previous points, heat is a big factor in causing your flowers to wilt earlier than you’d hope. When considering where to place your flowers in the home, be sure to avoid spots that see frequent heat from things like an oven, heating vent, or even under-cabinet lighting if left on frequently.
Heat, far more than light, will have a negative effect on your cut flowers within a short amount of time. If you leave the floral arrangement in the direct path of consistent heat, it’s likely they’ll lose their luster within a day or two for many types of flowers.
Just remember that many lights give off more heat than you’d expect, so be sure to consider this aspect as you place your flowers in the home.
Cut Flowers Are Mobile
One of the best aspects of bringing in cut flowers is that you can relocate them as needed. If you’re looking forward to a get together or just want a lovely background for an upcoming video call, you can simply relocate the vase or arrangement to suit your needs.
Likewise, if you notice that an area you’d like to keep your flowers is warm or in the path of direct sunlight for a portion of the day, you can rotate the arrangement around to keep your flowers protected as much as possible.
So, if you notice that your flowers are struggling in their current location, be sure to relocate them and see if a change of scenery does the trick!
Schedule Flower Delivery Today!
If you’re ready to bring some beauty into your home or that of a loved one, be sure to place your order with the Portland-based team at Nancy’s Floral!
Be sure to share these tips to consider the lighting around your next cut flowers. Also, check out our recent post dispelling many of the myths around preserving cut flowers (and sharing the ones that actually work!).
We’re happy to serve the area with flowers for all occasions and look forward to your next order!