The short answer: flowers and plants do well in winter as long as they are kept out of the cold and away from heat. Bring a delivery indoors as soon as it arrives, keep it away from cold drafts, heat vents and fireplaces, top up the water every day with cool or room temperature water, and give plants a little less water than in summer. With those few habits, a bouquet can last just as long in January as it does in June.
Winters in the GTA are cold and dry, and our homes are warm and dry too. Here is how to help fresh flowers and plants cope with both.
When your flowers arrive
Cold is the biggest risk in the first few minutes. Flowers and tropical plants such as orchids and poinsettias can be damaged by freezing air in a short time, and leaves or petals that freeze often wilt or turn dark a day or two later.
- Bring them in quickly. If you are expecting a delivery, keep an eye out for it. We email you as soon as your order has been delivered, which is a handy reminder to check the door.
- Arranging a surprise? If the person you are sending to may not be home, add a note about where the flowers can be left safely, or send them to an office or a neighbour who will be in.
- Let them settle. Unwrap the flowers indoors and give them a few minutes at room temperature before you move them into a sunny window or a warm room.
Where to put a bouquet in winter
Most homes have a few warm spots and a few cold ones in winter, and flowers dislike both extremes. The best place for a bouquet is a bright spot that is cool rather than hot, away from:
- heat vents, radiators and baseboard heaters, which dry the flowers and the water quickly
- fireplaces and wood stoves
- the top of the television or other electronics that run warm
- doors that open to the outside, where blasts of cold air come in
- cold window glass, especially on the coldest nights
- bowls of ripening fruit, which give off a gas that makes flowers age faster
A cooler room at night helps too. Some people move a bouquet to a cooler spot overnight, such as a front hall, and bring it back in the morning, which can add days to its vase life.
Water and stems
Dry indoor heat makes flowers drink more than you might expect. Check the vase every day and top it up with fresh, cool or room temperature water. Every two or three days, empty the vase, rinse it, refill it with fresh water and trim the stems at an angle with a sharp knife or scissors. Remove any leaves that sit below the water line. Our guide on how to keep a bouquet fresh longer covers each step, and how long cut flowers last explains what to expect from each flower.
Plants in winter
Houseplants grow slowly in the short, dark days of winter, so they need less water than in summer. Water only when the top of the soil feels dry, and never leave a pot standing in water. At the same time, dry air from the furnace can make leaf tips brown. Grouping plants together, or setting them on a tray of pebbles with a little water below the pot, adds a touch of humidity around them.
- Poinsettias are especially sensitive to cold and drafts, and they drop leaves if they get chilled. Our guide on how to care for a poinsettia explains how to keep one looking good through the holidays.
- Orchids like bright, indirect light but should not touch cold glass. Move them back a little from the window on the coldest nights.
- Succulents and planter gardens need very little water in winter. See how to care for succulents and planter gardens.
Holiday centrepieces
A centrepiece on a dining table sees a lot of warmth from cooking, guests and candles. Keep candles at a safe distance from flowers and greens, and never leave them burning unattended. If your centrepiece is arranged in floral foam, add a little water to the foam every day so it stays moist, and move it to a cooler room overnight between dinners. Hosting on New Year's Eve? Our guide to New Year's flowers covers what to send and how to keep it fresh through the party.
Choosing flowers and plants for winter gifts
Winter is a lovely time to send flowers, because a bouquet brings colour into a home when the garden is asleep. For the holidays, browse our winter and holiday collection, with seasonal designs, poinsettias and centrepieces. For a gift that lasts well past the season, a plant from our potted plants and succulents is easy to care for and keeps going for months.
Every arrangement is hand-arranged in our Mississauga studio and delivered across the GTA. Delivery is free on orders over $50, and every order includes a free handwritten card. If you have a question about caring for your flowers, call our studio at 905-677-9999.