CA Flower Mall petalers share their favorite DIY Valentine’s rose care tips of the trade web series showing florists, seasonal help and DIY rose lovers what to do or what to ask be done when they buy a bundle of flower market roses.
“Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest, busiest flower holidays of the year for the 40 flower vendors at California Flower Mall. The Society of American Florists estimates 250 million roses are produced for this one day. It’s is the number one holiday for florists and for wholesale cut flower purchases, representing 26% of all holiday transactions. Seasonal holiday staff must be trained quickly to fill orders for the most popular gift of the season – roses. Petalers here suggest using Leanne Kessler, director of the Floral Design Institute recent Valentine’s Rose Care web series to learn how care for bundled roses to ensure their quality and freshness,” says Vanina Trogolo, spokesperson for California Flower Mall.
The web series shows what to do to prepare a bundle of flower market roses or what to ask CFM petalers to do to prepare them for arranging. “Bundled roses arrive from farms asleep in 41 degree cold storage, like any living thing they need care, food and water to awaken their full beauty. Many CFM petalers have staff that will open a rose bundle and condition the roses for customers if they know to ask them,” says Trogolo.
Kessler gives the following rose care advice to florists, seasonal workers and DIY flower lovers:
- Quickly unwrap bundled roses so they can breathe
- Remove lower stem foliage and blunt the thorns
- Leave half the upper foliage, this helps the roses hydrate quickly
- Cut the bottom of the stem on an angle using a sharp knife
- Mix Quick Dip a pre-treatment acidifier and dip each stem in it before placing them in a holding bucket
- Let them drink in a holding bucket overnight or a minimum of 2 hours
CFM is open all night before Valentine’s Day and extended hours on the days leading up to the Valentine’s marathon. Special Valentine’s hours are: Thursday, Feb.9 – 4:30 am- 6 pm; Friday, Saturday & Sunday Feb. 10, 11, 12 – 4:30 am-8 pm; Monday, Feb. 13 – 4:30 am open 24 hours until Valentine’s Day Tuesday Feb 14 until 8 pm.
About California Flower Mall
The California Flower Mall, located at 825 San Pedro Street with parking at the 824 San Julian Street entrance, is one of the largest DIY wholesale flower markets in the eight block Downtown LA Flower District trade community — the largest concentration of wholesale flower markets and flower businesses in the U.S. It is located in the LA Fashion District Business Improvement District. CFM customer amenities include an ATM, cafe, public restrooms, and on-site parking. Visit CFM at https://californiaflowermall.com