Had a huge funeral order almost go wrong with grocery store flowers

Last month I had a big funeral job for 12 arrangements and I was running low on white roses. My supplier was out so I grabbed 3 bunches from a local grocery store to fill in. Big mistake - those roses opened up in like 2 days while my usual wholesale ones lasted a full week. The whole setup looked uneven by the time the service rolled around. Now I always drive an extra 20 miles to my regular wholesaler no matter what. Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way?

2 comments

2 Comments

eric_wright771mo ago

Honestly, I gotta push back a little here. Grocery store flowers can be a total lifesaver if you know how to pick them and prep them right. Ngl, I've used them plenty when I'm in a pinch and never had that kind of problem. The key is to buy them a day or two before you need them and give them a solid cut and some flower food right away. Tbh, the ones at my local market are actually pretty consistent if you grab them from the back of the cooler where they're freshest. Maybe it's just a bad batch you got, but I'd say don't write them off completely.

fionarodriguez1mo ago

Wait, do people actually buy flowers right before needing them though? @eric_wright77, you're totally right about giving them a cut and flower food, but picking them from the back of the cooler is smart too. I think a lot of folks just grab the first bunch they see, not checking if petals are firm or stems are still crisp. Have you ever tried adding a tiny splash of bleach to the water to keep them from getting cloudy?