Store level floral managers should report shrink on a daily or weekly basis to enable the director to identify problems. There are many preservatives on the market, and they are all designed to lower the pH factor, thereby increasing water uptake. They play a significant role in insuring maximum shelf life. Anytime a stem is cut, a leaf is bent, or a bud removed, the flower produces ethylene, which hurries it towards a premature death. It cannot be emphasized too strongly that cleanliness is ext to godliness in the floral department.
Slimy buckets mean bacteria is multiplying rapidly, and bacteria produces ethylene.
In addition to buckets, coolers and anywhere else flowers are stored or displayed must be regularly cleaned with a disinfectant. Convey tips on care to the consumer at the point of purchase. Any time a stem is cut, a callus develops. If consumers are reminded to trim the stems under running water and add a preservative to the water in the vase, they will be rewarded with a longer lasting bouquet.