How to Prepare Flowers for Floral Arrangements

The time you spend preparing the flowers in your floral arrangements can determine how pretty the presentation will look and how long it will last. By choosing the right variety of flowers and handling them correctly, your arrangements will look fresh for days.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flowers
• Floral oasis
• Scissors
• Vase

1. Select hardy flowers that last after being cut, such as roses, orchids or lilies. Purchase extra flowers so you can discard any that appear faded or damaged.

2. Soak your oasis in water. The oasis is the green floral foam you'll use to anchor your floral arrangements. You can purchase one at any floral or craft supply store. Once your oasis is saturated, place it in the container for your arrangement.

3. Remove the stamen from inside the flowers. The stamen often contains pollen, which can stain fabric and skin.

4. Strip off the leaves from the stems. The leaves absorb vital nutrients that you want to retain for the flower so that it stays fresh and vibrant.

5. Cut your stem at an angle, about 2 inches from the bottom. Use sharp scissors so you don't pinch or tear the flower.

6. Push the flower stems into the oasis, starting from the center. Continue this process until you've achieved a full, beautiful floral arrangement.

Tips & Warnings

• Wrap your floral oasis in moss to camouflague it within the arrangement.