Cut vs. Potted Flowers

Why your home deserves a touch of nature?

Flowers brighten not only your home, office, or any other space, but they also bring a range of additional benefits.

• They improve mood – looking at greenery calms the mind and helps reduce stress.
• They purify air – plants naturally increase humidity in a room.
• Some can even help cool the air, which is especially appreciated in summer.
• They make spaces cozier – interiors feel more lively and natural thanks to them.
  

Whether you choose cut flowers or houseplants, one thing is certain. Every piece of nature counts in a home.

Cut flowers speak for you

Cut flowers have long been among the most popular gifts. And it is easy to see why – a beautifully arranged bouquet can bring joy within seconds.

Their great advantage is originality and variety. A florist can create a bouquet exactly according to your wishes – from minimalist arrangements to rich, festive bouquets.

Cut flowers are most commonly suitable for:

• birthdays and name days,
• anniversaries,
• Valentine’s Day, International Women’s Day, Mother’s Day,
• celebrations and festive events.
  

A bouquet is often a gesture that expresses emotions – joy, gratitude, or love.

How to make cut flowers last as long as possible in a vase?

Most of us have probably experienced bringing home an impressive bouquet that drooped after just a few days. Do you want your cut flowers to stay beautiful in a vase for as long as possible? Here are several proven tips.

• Do not wait and place the flowers in water as soon as possible.
• First remove all protective wrapping.
• Then trim the stems with a diagonal cut at about a 45-degree angle, shortening them by roughly 2 cm. Use a sharp knife. Cutting the stems opens the vessels and increases the surface area through which the flower absorbs water.
• Remove any leaves that would be submerged in water to prevent them from rotting.
• Use a clean vase (preferably glass), rinsed with hot water and washed beforehand. The vase should not contain any residue or deposits from previous use.
• Avoid overcrowding the vase so the stems do not bend or break and water can circulate properly.
• Fill the vase with lukewarm or room-temperature water and add flower food for cut flowers.
• Remember to change the water every two days, rinse the vase, and wipe its sides to remove bacteria and slime.
• Also trim the stems again every 2–3 days.
  

Some traditional tips recommend adding sugar and vinegar or a drop of lemon juice to the water. Vinegar or lemon juice lowers the pH and slows bacterial growth, while sugar provides nutrients for the flowers.

Once your bouquet is arranged in the vase, the next question is where to place it. Drafts, direct sunlight, heating, or air conditioning are not suitable for cut flowers. Do not place them near a bowl of fruit either. Bananas and apples release ethylene as they ripen, a gas that causes flowers to wilt prematurely.

If the flowers start to wilt, you can try a simple trick. Trim the stems again and immerse them in cold water, including the blooms, for a few minutes. They can often recover.

Potted plants grow with you

Unlike cut flowers, potted plants are a long-term investment in your interior. If you take proper care of them, they can last for years and become part of your home.

Their main advantages include:

• long lifespan,
• sustainability,
• often a lower price compared to large bouquets.
  

In recent years, houseplants have experienced a major comeback. They have become not only decoration but also an important part of interior design in homes, offices, and public spaces.

Potted plants are an ideal gift, for example:

• for a house or apartment warming,
• for opening a new office or branch,
• as a long-term reminder of an important event,
• for memorial occasions, because they last longer than cut flowers.
  

In floristry, potted plants are usually divided according to what makes them decorative.

• Foliage plants

These plants attract attention mainly with their leaves – their color, texture, or distinctive veins. Leaves may be glossy, velvety, wavy, or strongly veined, making them an interesting design element.

• Flowering plants

Here the main feature is the flower itself, which makes these plants very popular as seasonal decorations or gifts.

• Fruit-bearing plants

Some plants are mainly decorative because of their fruits, such as small citrus plants or colorful berries, which are often used in decorations as well.

How to care for potted plants?

Proper care is the key to helping houseplants thrive and stay with you for many years. Each species has its own specific requirements, but some rules apply to most plants.

• Always water plants with settled water at room temperature.
• Make sure they are not standing in water. Many people believe that the more they water plants, the better they will grow. In reality, plants often die from overwatering rather than from lack of water.
• Water only when the substrate is dry not only on the surface but also deeper in the pot. Insert a finger or a wooden skewer into the soil. If soil sticks to it when you pull it out, it means the soil underneath is still moist.
• During the growing season, fertilize plants approximately every two weeks with a suitable fertilizer. Do not fertilize plants during the winter months.
  

Stejně jako u řezaných květin i u těch pokojových je důležité jejich správné umístění. Většina rostlin má ráda dostatek světla, ale ne přímé slunce, na kterém vydrží jen kaktusy a sukulenty. Nejvíce se rostlinám daří v polostínu (například oblíbeným monsterám nebo filodendronům). Zpravidla čím tmavší listy rostlina má, tím více stínu obvykle snese.

Just like with cut flowers, proper placement is also important for houseplants. Most plants like plenty of light, but not direct sunlight, which is tolerated mainly by cacti and succulents. Most plants thrive in partial shade, such as popular Monstera or Philodendron. In general, the darker the leaves of a plant, the more shade it can usually tolerate.

How can you tell if a plant does not have enough light? Its leaves become pale and stretched.

How can you tell if you have overwatered a plant? Its leaves begin to wilt or turn yellow. In such a case, it is important to act as quickly as possible. Remove the yellow leaves from the overwatered plant, remove as much of the substrate as possible (being careful not to damage the roots), clean the pot, place a drainage layer at the bottom of the container (for example sand), and replant the plant.

Expand your flower offer with St. Gabriel wholesale

Offer your customers a wide selection of elegant bouquets for festive moments as well as flowering and green potted plants for their interiors. In the St. Gabriel assortment, you will find the most popular plants as well as unusual varieties from trusted growers around the world. Register in our e-shop.