How to Care for Fresh Flowers and Plants After Delivery

Receiving fresh flowers or a beautiful plant can instantly brighten a home. Whether you have been sent a bouquet, roses, an orchid or a green plant, a little care after delivery can help it stay beautiful and healthy for longer.

At La Quenouille Fleurs et Cadeaux, we carefully prepare fresh flowers and plants before they leave our Montreal flower shop. Once they arrive, however, their needs can be very different. Fresh-cut flowers need clean water and regular stem care, while orchids and indoor plants need the right balance of light, watering and temperature.

Here is a simple guide to caring for some of the flowers and plants you may receive from a florist.

Caring for Fresh-Cut Flowers After Delivery

Fresh bouquets and floral arrangements generally last longer when they have clean water, freshly trimmed stems and a comfortable location away from excessive heat.

Start With a Clean Vase

If your flowers arrive as a wrapped bouquet rather than in a vase, place them in a thoroughly cleaned vase. Bacteria left behind from an older arrangement can build up in the water and shorten the life of fresh flowers.

Trim the Stems

Before placing the flowers in water, trim a small amount from the bottom of each stem using clean, sharp scissors or floral shears. A fresh cut helps the stems continue taking up water.

If you move the flowers into another vase later, trimming the stems again can also help.

Remove Leaves Below the Waterline

Remove any foliage that would sit below the water. Leaves submerged in water can deteriorate and encourage bacterial growth.

Change the Water Regularly

Check your arrangement frequently and replace the water every few days or whenever it becomes cloudy. If flower food was provided with your bouquet, follow the instructions on the packet.

Keep Fresh Flowers Away From Heat

Fresh flowers generally prefer a cooler location. Avoid placing your arrangement directly beside:

• Heating vents or radiators
• Fireplaces
• Strong direct sunlight
• Hot appliances
• Very cold drafts

A comfortable location with indirect natural light is usually a good choice.

For more detailed advice specifically about bouquets and arrangements, read our guide on how to make fresh flowers last longer.

For additional general guidance on cut-flower care, Illinois Extension also recommends fresh stem cuts, clean water, removing foliage below the waterline and keeping flowers away from heat and drafts.

How to Care for Roses After Delivery

Roses benefit from the same basic care as other fresh-cut flowers, but keeping their stems well hydrated is especially important.

If your roses arrive wrapped, trim the stems before placing them in a clean vase with fresh water. Check the water level regularly because a full bouquet of roses can drink more water than you might expect.

Remove foliage that falls below the waterline and refresh the water every few days.

If one or two roses begin to droop before the rest of the bouquet, try recutting the stems and placing them back into fresh water. Keep the arrangement in a cooler part of the room and away from direct sunlight and heating vents.

Explore our Roses collection for fresh rose bouquets and arrangements available for local pickup or flower delivery in Montreal.

How to Care for an Orchid at Home

Orchids require different care from cut flowers. Many commonly sold indoor orchids prefer plenty of bright, indirect light without prolonged exposure to strong direct sunlight.

Water Orchids Carefully

Orchids should not remain constantly saturated. Water when needed and allow excess water to drain completely. Avoid leaving the plant sitting in standing water.

Because orchids are often grown in bark or another free-draining growing medium rather than traditional potting soil, their watering needs can be different from those of other houseplants.

Give Your Orchid Enough Light

A bright location with indirect light is generally suitable for many indoor orchids. If an otherwise healthy orchid is not flowering again, insufficient light can sometimes be one contributing factor.

Protect Orchids From Drafts

Keep orchids away from very cold drafts and sudden temperature changes, particularly during Montreal winters.

Browse our Orchids collection to see the orchid plants currently available from La Quenouille.

Caring for Green Indoor Plants

One of the most common mistakes with indoor plants is assuming that every plant needs the same amount of water.

They don't.

A Monstera, Peace Lily, Anthurium and mixed plant basket can all have different preferences. Instead of following the same watering schedule for every plant, check the soil and observe the plant itself.

Check the Soil Before Watering

For many indoor plants, allowing the upper layer of soil to begin drying before watering can help reduce the risk of overwatering. When you do water, make sure excess water can drain properly.

Choose the Right Light

Some plants tolerate lower-light conditions while others prefer brighter rooms. Bright indirect light is a good starting point for many popular indoor plants, but the individual care recommendations for each plant should always take priority.

Watch for Changes

Indoor plants often provide clues when growing conditions are not quite right. Depending on the plant:

• Yellow leaves may sometimes indicate excessive moisture.
• Drooping can be a sign that a plant needs water.
• Brown or dry leaf edges may appear when indoor air is very dry.
• Slow or uneven growth may be related to insufficient light.

Always check the soil, light and growing conditions before automatically adding more water.

You can browse FLQ's full Plants collection for available green and flowering plant gifts.

Peace Lily Care

Peace Lilies prefer bright to moderate indirect light and lightly moist soil. Water when the upper layer of soil begins to feel dry, but avoid leaving the plant sitting in standing water.

A Peace Lily may droop noticeably when it becomes thirsty, although checking the soil first is important because overwatering can also cause problems.

Peace Lilies also appreciate moderate indoor humidity and should be protected from cold drafts.

See our Peace Lily Sympathy Plant for an example of a lasting plant gift suitable for sympathy, condolences or the home.

Monstera Care

Monsteras generally do well in bright, indirect light. Water when the upper portion of the soil begins to dry and make sure excess water can drain from the pot.

Their large leaves can collect dust, so gently wiping them occasionally with a damp cloth can help keep them clean and attractive.

Avoid placing a Monstera directly beside a cold exterior door, air-conditioning vent or strong heating source.

View the Monstera Plant available from La Quenouille.

Anthurium Care

Anthuriums prefer bright indirect light, warm indoor temperatures and moderate humidity. Allow the upper layer of soil to begin drying between waterings rather than keeping the soil constantly wet.

Removing faded flowers and gently cleaning the leaves can help keep the plant looking attractive.

See our Anthurium Plant for a colourful flowering plant option.

Caring for Plants During a Montreal Winter

Winter can change indoor growing conditions considerably. Montreal homes are often heated for months at a time, which can make indoor air much drier. At the same time, shorter days mean many plants receive less natural light.

During winter:

• Keep plants away from cold exterior doors and drafty windows.
• Avoid placing plants directly beside radiators or heating vents.
• Move plants closer to suitable natural light when necessary.
• Check the soil rather than automatically watering on the same schedule used during summer.
• Watch for very dry indoor air.

A plant may need less frequent watering during periods of slower growth, even when the air inside your home feels dry.

Common Flower and Plant Care Mistakes

Watering Every Plant on the Same Schedule

Different plants have different needs. Check the individual plant and its soil rather than assuming every plant should be watered on the same day.

Overwatering Indoor Plants

Giving a struggling plant more water is not always the answer. Excess moisture can be just as problematic as too little water.

Leaving Cut Flowers in Old Water

Cloudy water encourages bacterial growth. Refreshing the water and keeping the vase clean are two of the simplest ways to help fresh flowers stay attractive for longer.

Placing Flowers or Plants Beside Heat

Radiators, fireplaces and heating vents can cause flowers to fade faster and may dry indoor plants unevenly.

Ignoring Drainage

Decorative containers can sometimes hide standing water. Check that excess water is able to drain and that plant roots are not sitting in water for long periods.

A Little Care Goes a Long Way

Flowers and plants are living products, and every variety behaves a little differently.

A fresh bouquet may need new water and trimmed stems every few days, while an orchid or green plant may stay in your home for months or even years with appropriate care.

La Quenouille has also started adding a Plant Care & Tips section to selected plant product pages. These instructions provide simple guidance tailored to the individual plant, including light, watering, temperature, humidity and other useful care information.

If you are unsure how to care for a flower arrangement or plant you received from us, you are always welcome to contact La Quenouille for advice.

La Quenouille Fleurs et Cadeaux has been serving Montreal since 1981, offering fresh flowers, roses, orchids, indoor plants and thoughtful floral gifts for local pickup and flower delivery in Montreal and surrounding areas.