Spring is nearly here and there are blooms popping up all over the place! Foraging for your own flowers and branches is a great way to create a DIY arrangement from start to finish. To truly get the organic look indoors, finding and harvesting your own blooms is the way to go! And while the idea of foraging can be quite intimidating, we promise you it’s easier and more fun than you think. To help you get started, we’ve shared some foraging tips below:
- Dress accordingly and bring the right tools! Foraging can get into the weeds (pun intended), so you want to be prepared. Long pants, long sleeve shirts, and proper footwear will help prevent cuts, scrapes, and allergies from overshadowing your foraging experience. You also want to ensure you have a really sharp pair of floral scissors and a basket to carry your findings. TIP: it’s best to forge product early in the morning when the water content is at its highest in the plants!
- Take the early blooms. If you choose the branches and stems that are already in full bloom, your flowers will not last as long. Try to choose the stems that have a bloom or two left to go, so it will continue to flourish even when you’ve brought them inside.
- Clean up your stems before arranging them. Wipe off excess dirt and cut off any hanging leaves and branches that are unneeded. By properly cleaning your flowers the stems are able to “drink” better and the water will stay fresh longer. Plus it makes them easier to work with. Don’t forget you need to recut the blooms once you start to arrange in a vase of water! Anytime the stem is allowed to dry off, even in a mere few minutes, it will need to be recut to flush the air out of the stem.
- Put them in water IMMEDIATELY! Have a bucket filled with cool water ready and submerge everything as quickly as possible. Vines especially can tend to wilt and dry out faster.
- Change the water. Every couple of days, remove the water in the vase and replace it with fresh, clean water. This will do wonders for your blooms!