Old timer told me I was overwatering everything back in 2018

I had a customer complain their funeral wreath was falling apart after 3 days, and a retired florist at the counter said my stems were rotting because I was soaking the foam too much. Now I just let the foam sit for 10 seconds instead of 30, and I haven't had a single complaint since. Anyone else pick up a weird habit from an older florist?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_riley13d ago

Learned the hard way my arrangements were basically drowning before they even had a chance.

fionanguyen13d ago

Right? Nobody warns you about the foam until it's too late. That slimy mess is such a nightmare to deal with. A light soak really does make all the difference for keeping stems fresh. Old florists know their stuff for a reason. It's wild how such a small thing can ruin everything.

fionanguyen13d ago

Honestly, that 10 second trick is gold. I read somewhere that floral foam is like a sponge, it holds way more water than you think after just a quick dunk. I had a similar thing with a customer's arrangement getting slimy after a few days, and a retired florist told me my foam was waterlogged from the start. Switched to a lighter soak and the stems stopped rotting too. Ngl, these old timers have been through enough wrecked arrangements to know what works.