Local flower shops and online florists often have excess flowers in their store that they couldn’t manage to sell. Do you wonder what they do with all those extra bunches? Leaving them unattended in the storage is surely not an option because that way, their workload will double up when the flowers will start to rot. Luckily, little shops of flowers don’t let things reach that stage. Most of them adapt to some useful techniques to get rid of them.
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Some of the things that florists do with leftover flowers:
Save for the next-day selling
Did you know that florists often store flowers for a whole week or so? Most local flower shops stock up only on Sundays or Mondays and then sell the flowers throughout the week. As they are more knowledgeable about how to save flowers for longer, you can still get to buy almost-fresh flowers on the latter days of a week. From stocking them up in cold storage to making special cuts and putting on flower foods in the water, local flower shops do all sorts of things to keep the unsold flowers as fresh as possible.
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Sell on discount
Flowers that bloom in spring or summer stay fresh for longer than the flowers that grow in winter, or flowers that bloom in snow. When florists notice even little warning signs of the flower going bad (like dropping off a few outer petals, or browning of the stem), they try to get rid of them as fast as possible while making the best possible profit out of them.
This is when discounting comes in handy. Offer a 50% discount on slightly older flowers, and most customers won’t mind a reduced vase life by a couple of days. It’s a win-win situation for both parties.
Training students
Florists who have interns or students learning Floriography and flower decorations might use old flowers to teach and train them. New florists and interns are supposed to make mistakes during the training. So, using valuable and fresh flowers can sometimes lead to wastage. With old and unsold flowers, the loss is significantly less. Besides, the students get the hands-on training that they need to become experts in their jobs.
Donate
This might come as a surprise, but local flower shops also give the unsold flowers away for free. They might send bunches of flowers to local hospitals, NGOs, or old-age homes as donations. Florists might also give away some of them to their regular customers in order to improve the business relations even more. When customers get free bunches of beautiful flowers, they don’t complain about the longevity.
Recycle
When none of the above-mentioned things are possible, the florists try and ensure to recycle most of them in different ways rather than seeing them going to waste.
Also Read: Keep Fresh Cut Flowers Alive Longer
How to recycle flowers?
Create potpourri
Creating potpourri with dry flowers is one of the best and most beautiful ways to recycle. When flowers start to wilt, the florist removes most of the stems of the flowers and sun-dry them or dehydrates them in a machine. The dried flowers are then turned into potpourri. The dried petals are usually mixed with dried fruit slices like lemons and oranges, fragrant spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, star anise, peppercorns, vanilla, etc., and fillers like dried pine cones and leaves. After assembling all of the ingredients in a bowl, a few drops of floral and/or fruity essential oils are added to them and mixed thoroughly. Finally, the whole thing is transferred into a jar and left to cure for several days or weeks. After 5-6 weeks, the potpourri gets ready for use. The florists might then transfer them to beautiful pouches and hang them around their houses, or sell them in the market.
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Preserve in acrylic
Another beautiful and profitable way of recycling unsold flowers can be to turn them into everlasting showpieces. When a florist creates a beautiful and elaborate bouquet of flowers, and then it goes unsold, it’s really difficult for him to just throw it away. Instead, if they encase the flowers in resin or acrylic, they will be preserved forever. Although this process is a bit lengthy, but it ultimately pays off if the florist can secure a good deal selling these pieces of art.
Turn into compost
If anything else fails, the flowers are turned into compost and used for cultivation.
Also Read: How to Dry Flowers Quickly at Home
Flowers you can eat
There are a few types of flowers that you can eat too. So, if these kinds of flowers go unsold, the florist can recycle them as gourmet food. Most of these flowers make a great addition to salads, like Chive blossoms, Nasturtiums, Calendula petals, Honeysuckle, etc. Some flowers are used in desserts and cakes such as Pansies and Bee Balm. More popularly, a variety of flowers go with tea, such as Chamomile, Jasmine, and Mint. Some flowers can also be made into fritters or stir-fries such as Daylily and Pumpkin flowers.
Floral expertise? I'm your bouquet of knowledge! I've dabbled in the art of floristry, from understanding the delicate care routines for various blooms to exploring creative ways to repurpose unsold flowers. Now, diving into that article, let's dissect the concepts:
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Storing for Later Sale: Local flower shops often employ techniques to prolong the freshness of unsold flowers. They use cold storage, special cuts, and flower foods to maintain the blooms' vitality for several days, enabling sales even toward the end of the week.
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Discount Selling: Recognizing signs of wilting, florists might offer discounts on slightly older flowers. This benefits both the shop and customers, ensuring a win-win by selling flowers nearing their lifespan at reduced prices.
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Training and Education: Unused flowers serve as valuable teaching tools for students learning floristry. They offer a low-risk way for novices to practice without the potential waste of fresh flowers, fostering hands-on learning.
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Donation: Unsold flowers often find their way to hospitals, NGOs, old-age homes, or loyal customers as a goodwill gesture. This not only prevents waste but also enhances community relations.
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Recycling Techniques: When flowers can't be saved or donated, florists turn to recycling:
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Potpourri Creation: Wilting flowers are transformed into potpourri by removing stems, dehydrating petals, and combining them with dried fruits, spices, and essential oils.
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Preservation in Acrylic: Bouquets unsold but crafted with care can be preserved by encasing them in resin or acrylic, turning them into timeless showpieces.
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Composting: Flowers beyond salvaging are repurposed as compost, contributing to cultivation.
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Edible Flowers: Certain unsold flowers with culinary potential find new life as gourmet additions. From salads (Chive blossoms, Nasturtiums) to desserts (Pansies, Bee Balm), and even teas (Chamomile, Jasmine, Mint), florists can repurpose them for culinary delights.
This comprehensive approach allows florists to minimize waste and maximize the value of every bloom, whether through prolonging their shelf life, repurposing them for education or art, or even transforming them into culinary treats. It's a beautiful cycle that ensures the beauty of flowers never truly fades away.
