Ask the Expert: I have been told that color blocking for flowers is an excellent way to
display assortment of flower please reply   Tari Hendrie

Tari,

Color blocking is an excellent flower display strategy. It is especially helpful when you are creating venues in your store. Color blocking is a technique in which a mass quantity of color is used to create a dramatic or eye catching effect. This is a

(more…)

Ask the Expert: orchid question

I am helping a friend with her wedding flowers. She wants to have phalaeonpsis orchids in a cascade bouquet. If I make a cascade bouquet and have to wire in some flowers (they would have no water source) how long can she expect them to last. She needs to have it made on a Friday to transport 1 1/2 hours to another town. Then the wedding is not until 4:00pm Saturday. Will the bouquet hold up for this amount of time? Thanks! Shellie

Shellie,

With the time and transportation issues, I would not take a chance on using Phalaenopsis orchids without a water source. However, there maybe one or two solutions to your problem. You can soak chenelle stems (pipe cleaners) in water and insert them in the

(more…)

Ask the Expert: My Bamboo seems to have this white powdery stuff at the base of the leaves (and stalk). I wash it off but it just comes back. What could it be? Should I discard this entire plant? Cynthia

Cynthia,

Could the powdery substance be more of a sticky cottony substance? There is an insect called Cottony Cushion Scale that can effect lucky bamboo. Although it doesn’t look like a

(more…)

Ask the Expert: I have had a Lucky Bamboo plant on my desk at work for about 4 years. It is now 5 feet tall. Can I trim the Bamboo without killing the plant? It has
certainly been a conversation piece. Thank you in advance. Renee

Renee,

You can trim your lucky bamboo and create new stalks in the process. You will need some

(more…)

Back in December, Central Square News (the Central Square Florist blog) addressed the issue of “In Lieu of Flowers” concerning funeral flowers. It seems the question concerning the appropriateness of sending sympathy flowers surfaces over and over again. The 2003 Flower Shop Network newsletter – In Lieu of Flowers addressed the importance of flowers in the bereavement process. In fact, there have been many studies that prove the importance of flowers during times of emotional stress. But, I realized that the reason this question comes up, time and time again, is that people are uncomfortable with funerals

(more…)

Once I was selected by the Nielsen rating group to log my TV habits. When they got my logbook I’m sure they thought – we have some weird weather fetish person here. Most of my entries included the weather channel. When you have a nursery and landscaping business, weather is your friend and enemy, knowing what the weather is doing 24hours a day is very important. We have the weather channel on all day long at the nursery; before we had cable at the nursery my father-in-law would call us every few hours with a weather update. So when I saw the report about the snow in the Northeast, I could really relate to the people in the story. One man in Smithfield, Rhode Island was concerned about his pine trees bending under the weight of the snow – we have to worry about the weight of snow

(more…)

Ask the Expert: Why did my peace lily quit blooming? My peace lily is green and bushy and healthy but lately it has stopped blooming. The leaves are still a dark green and NOT turning yellow or black. New leaves continue to grow. I water it according to my moisture meter and I distilled water. Is there a problem or is just resting through winter? Susan

Ask the Expert: Where can I find a flower related to each month? Betty

Betty,

Here are a list of birth month flowers.

(more…)

I know the Northeast Floral Expo is over a month away, but Flower Shop Network is buzzing with preparations for their journey to Hartford, Connecticut. One of the top florist trade shows, the Northeast Floral Expo will be held February 29^th thru March 2^nd.

After a long and hectic Valentine’s Day, this florist trade show is a refreshing change of pace. Florists, from over 15 states, will be inspired and educated by an array of international designers during the four design show sessions. Many fantastic learning opportunities are available for florists at the expo. Florists can learn the fundamentals of creating excellence, both in design and in their day-to-day operations, at the business

(more…)

Ask the Expert: Lucky Bamboo Spirals

I just purchased two stalks with lovely matching spirals below their leaves. How do I create these spirals again when I cut the tall stalks and want to start a new plant?  Betty