Just Got Flowers? What to Do First

Flowers just came to your door, your desk or the front desk downstairs. A few minutes of care now makes the biggest difference to how long they last, and most of it is simple: water, a cool spot and a clean vase. Here is what to do first, depending on what arrived.

A vase arrangement

Most of our vase arrangements are built in water, right in the vase, so they are ready to enjoy the moment you unwrap them.

1. Take off any wrapping or plastic sleeve.
2. Check the water level and top it up with cool tap water.
3. Set it down on a flat, dry surface in a cool spot.
4. Use the flower food packet we include as soon as you can. The packet is measured for a set amount of water (printed on it), so the easiest way is to do your first water change today or tomorrow: tip out the old water, refill the vase with fresh water and stir in the packet.
5. When you change the water, hold the design together with one hand while you tip out the old water. If you can lift the whole arrangement out in one piece, trim half an inch to an inch off the stems at an angle with sharp scissors or a knife, and pull off any leaves that would sit below the waterline.
6. After that, top up daily and change the water every two days or so, or sooner if it looks cloudy.

If your design sits in green foam (a few do), keep the foam soaked: top it up daily and don't pull stems out, because a stem pulled from foam rarely drinks well again.

Flower food works because it gives stems a little sugar for energy, keeps the water slightly acidic so stems drink easily, and slows the bacteria that clog them. Skip the home recipes with sugar, soda or aspirin. For the full routine, read how to make cut flowers last longer.

A hand-tied bouquet

A hand-tied bouquet is wrapped and meant to go into your own vase, unless it came with one of ours. It needs water sooner than an arrangement does, so do this within the hour.

1. Fill a clean vase nearly to the top with cool water, using about the amount printed on the flower food packet, and stir the packet in.
2. Unwrap the bouquet, but leave the tie in place so the shape holds.
3. Trim the stems at an angle so they sit comfortably in the vase, and strip any leaves that would end up underwater.
4. Stand it in the vase straight away.

A pitcher or a large jar works too. Our guide to putting a bouquet in a vase covers choosing the height and keeping the shape.

An orchid plant

Orchid plants are easy to love to death. They come in a terra cotta pot or a glass or matte container, dressed with moss, so there is nothing to put in water.

• Don't water it straight away. Push a finger into the moss first; if it still feels damp, wait.
• Give it bright light without hot direct sun, such as near an east window or a few feet back from a south one.
• Keep it away from radiators, cold drafts and the fruit bowl.

After that, give it about half a cup of lukewarm water every 5 to 7 days, a little more if the room is hot. Our terra cotta pots drain; the glass and matte containers don't, so pour slowly and tip out any water that pools at the bottom, because roots left standing in water rot. Keep water out of the center of the leaves. Our orchid plant care guide explains watering, light and how to get it to bloom again.

Sympathy flowers at home

When someone has passed away, flowers often arrive at a house full of people and a lot on everyone's mind. The care is the same as any vase arrangement, and if changing the water is too much right now, simply topping up daily still helps.

Many sympathy designs are white and green and may include lilies; if there is a cat in the home, read the note on cats and lilies below. As lilies open, you can pinch off the orange pollen tips with a tissue to keep the pollen off petals, clothes and tablecloths. Sending sympathy flowers to a home with a cat? Write "no lilies" in your cart's order note, or call us, and we'll make the design without them.

Where to put them

Cut flowers last longest somewhere cool, out of direct sun, and away from moving air. Avoid:

• Radiators and heating vents. Steam heat in a New York apartment in winter can wilt flowers fast.
• Sunny windowsills. A bright south window warms the water and the petals.
• Air-conditioning vents and drafty doors. Moving air dries petals and leaves quickly.
• The fruit bowl. Ripening fruit such as bananas, apples and tomatoes gives off ethylene, a gas that makes many flowers age and drop faster.
• The top of the TV or other warm appliances.

A coffee table or dining table in a cool room is ideal. If you can, move the vase somewhere cooler at night; cooler temperatures slow the flowers down and can help them last longer.

Cats and lilies: true lilies are life-threatening to cats. Eating any part of the plant, even a little pollen or a lick of the vase water, can cause kidney failure. If you have a cat, it is safest to keep lilies out of the home. If you think your cat has touched a lily, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center right away. Our guide to flowers and pets has the details.

The card

Every order can include a card message. In an arrangement it sits on a small card pick among the flowers; with a bouquet or a plant, check the wrapping before you throw any paper away. If you received flowers and the card seems to be missing, or the message is not what the sender wrote, call the shop and we will check the order for you.

If something looks wrong

A few flowers, like lilies, lisianthus and some roses, are often cut in bud and open over the next few days (cat owners: see the lily note above). A slightly soft head after the trip usually perks up after a fresh cut and a few hours in water; see our tips to revive drooping flowers.

If something is really not right, such as broken stems, a damaged vase or flowers that look tired on arrival, contact us within 3 days of delivery or pickup at 212-289-1677 or jeromeflorists1@gmail.com. Send the order number, the recipient's name and a clear photo, and we'll take a look and make it right where we can. The details are in our refund policy.