Introduction
My flower business specializes in providing customers with the best floral arrangements for their special occasions, including birthday parties, weddings, and anniversaries. One of the biggest problems facing my business is the preservation of flowers. I noticed that they remain fresh for up to five days, meaning sometimes I provide my customers with wilting flowers. Serving clients with such flowers has affected the business, reducing my revenues significantly. Therefore, we applied various solutions to the flower quality problem, including hydrating, providing nutrients, and waste removal techniques.
Main text
The most significant cause of wilting for the flowers was poor hydration. Having started the business recently, we lacked expertise on the best methods to hydrate the flowers. We used to put them in clean, cold water to avoid dehydration. However, Aasheim recommends the water needs to be warm, with temperatures of 45° Celsius. Storing flowers in such water helps the stems absorb liquid faster, enabling them to maintain their rigidity. Aasheim also suggests that cutting flower stems should be done at 45° and under warm water, using a sharp knife instead of scissors since it damages the stems, preventing them from absorbing water efficiently. This effect explains why the flowers have been dehydrated and weak. Applying these strategies has recently improved the rigidity of the flowers, enhancing their quality.
The flowers have also been of poor quality because of the lack of sufficient nutrients to nourish their requirements. We have been storing flowers in water without providing them with important minerals needed for survival. Experts recommend using sugars to prolong flowers’ post-harvest life (“Harvesting and Handling Cut Flowers”). Since flowers are stored in relatively dark environments to protect them from getting dehydrated, they are unable to synthesize their food due to a lack of enough sunlight. Consequently, they need to be supplied with enough carbohydrates to replenish their food reservoirs for longer survival. We have added sugars into the water to keep the flowers’ beautiful appearance longer. The flowers’ quality has been improved over the last few days, enhancing our floral arrangements’ aesthetics.
The florets’ standards have further deteriorated because of poor waste emission strategies. Flowers, like any other living organisms, emit wastes such as oxygen and ethylene. Experts recommend florists should find a way of disposing of ethylene because it hinders the growth of flowers and eventually kills them (“Harvesting and Handling Cut Flowers”). Ethylene is a plant hormone that aids in germination, vertical, and horizontal growth. However, it is also responsible for deteriorating plant heath, enabling aging and eventually death. Therefore, there is a need for farmers and florists to develop solutions for efficiently disposing of this gas. One of the most recommended interventions is storing flowers in open spaces. It allows the gas to diffuse into the atmosphere, limiting its harmful effects (“Harvesting and Handling Cut Flowers”). Following the experts’ recommendation has improved the flowers’ quality, making them rigid and healthy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my floral business has experienced financial difficulties because of the deteriorating quality of the flowers. Research shows that it has resulted from poor hydration, lack of enough nutrients, and ineffective disposal of ethylene gas. To curb these shortages, we have put flowers in warm water, added sugars, and stored them in open spaces. The quality has consequently improved, enhancing the appeal of our floral organizations.
Works Cited
Aasheim, Marnie. “Preserving Cut Flowers.” North Dakota State University, 2020. Web.
“Harvesting and Handling Cut Flowers.” Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, 2016, Web.