Woy Woy Bay Flowers, Same Day on the Western Shore

The estuary at Brisbane Water keeps the humidity around Woy Woy Bay consistent, and that changes how cut flowers behave once they're inside your home. Most people think humid air is good for flowers because it stops them drying out. That is partly true. But humidity also accelerates bacterial growth in the vase water, and bacteria are what actually kill cut flowers faster than anything else.

Bacteria multiply faster in warm, moist conditions. They form colonies inside the vase and eventually clog the xylem, which is the plumbing system inside the stem that moves water up to the petals. Once the xylem blocks, the flower head wilts even though it is sitting in water. Customers call and say the flowers are drooping but the water is still full. That blocked plumbing is usually the reason.

I took a call at our Pottsville office in early 2012 from a woman in Townsville. She had received a mixed arrangement for her anniversary three days earlier and the gerberas were collapsing while the chrysanthemums looked fine. My first thought was the florist had used old stock. But I asked her where the vase was sitting, and she said the kitchen bench near the stove. Townsville in January. The stove heat plus tropical humidity meant the vase water was practically warm. I asked if she could change the water, add a splash of bleach, about a quarter teaspoon, and move the vase somewhere cooler. She rang back two days later and said the remaining stems had come good.

For anywhere near Brisbane Water, including Woy Woy Bay, I would give the same advice. Change the water every second day and add a small splash of bleach to keep bacteria in check. Foliage below the waterline needs to come off because submerged leaves rot and feed the bacterial colony. The other thing that catches people out is heat. A vase near a window that gets afternoon sun or above a dishwasher vent will turn over faster than one on a shaded shelf. The florists we work with condition stems properly before they go out, but once flowers are in your care, the environment around that vase is what determines how long they last.

The partner florists sourcing from Flemington Markets early in the morning know which stems handle humidity well. Chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, and most native flowers have thicker cell walls that resist bacterial penetration longer. Roses and gerberas are more vulnerable. If someone asks me what to send to a waterfront address, I factor that in.