One of the simplest ceremony moments is the bridesmaids’ entrance, pages, and flower girls. The wedding ceremony is a special moment full of details that require planning, organization, and floral decor. Hence, today, we talk about the must-have florist supplies in the UK.
What every florist should have
The florist can use gardening tools, professional floral tools, or those purchased from your local DIY store. The main thing is that they are sharp, do not damage the pores of the flower, and are comfortable in the hand.
Let’s find out what tools and florist supplies in the UK are needed for a florist shop and how they differ.
What tools do you choose to work as a florist?
The main florist supplies in the UK are the knife and pruning shears. Each florist must have their own tools. The other tools are used less frequently and can be shared by all staff members.
When choosing tools, pay attention to their sharpness and how they fit in your hand. Here, you have to do tests because each florist understands comfort differently. Bright colors should also be favored so that the instruments are not lost among the vegetation.
Florist knife
The florist’s knife is used to trim and clean flowers. The quality of the steel and the sharpness are the main considerations when purchasing the tool.
Cutting the flowers with a dull or crooked knife will damage the pores of the stem. This prevents the plant from taking in enough water and will cause it to die more quickly. Incorrect cuts can leave remains of leaves and thorns that will rot and poison the water of all the flowers in the vase.
Knives can be divided into two types
Disposable:
They are usually sold as consumables in packages of 10 units. Throwing away these knives as soon as they become dull is customary. Disposable tools are often purchased at the salon as a spare in case the florist loses or breaks the main knife.
Professional knives:
These knives usually cost the same as a pack of disposable knives. They are difficult to bend or break and can also be taken to a shop to be sharpened. Good florists and decorators prefer to buy their knives for long-term use. They also monitor the sharpening of the blade.
Folding knives:
Conventional knives are often lost or thrown away with vegetation due to their lightweight. This does not happen with a foldable one: it can be folded and stored in a pocket at any time. For florists, it is always within reach.
Pruning shear
The pruning shears are the second most important florist supplies in the UK and are used to trim stems and branches. It can be used to trim several plants at once.
Pruners are used when cutting stems with a knife is long and inconvenient. If the bouquet has already been cut, it is faster and easier for the florist to cut the stems with the pruners than to go over each stem with a knife. With a good tool, 51 roses can be trimmed in one minute. The main factors when selecting pruners are durability and sharpness.
Florists use three types of pruners: flat pruners, garden pruners, and pruning pruners
1. Flat-tip pruners consist of a leaf and a support plate. This design allows for a uniform cut on thick stems and branches.
2. Garden scissors have longer and thinner blades than a normal pruner. It will help you get a clean, straight cut for thin stems.
3. Pruning shears differ from conventional scissors only by the greater thickness of the blades. They are suitable for cutting the thinnest stems. Before purchasing such a tool, you should test whether it is comfortable to work with.
Rope
The rope is a twine made of natural jute fiber. It is used instead of polybasic to tie soft or hollow stems, such as tulips. Cheap strings can be very fluffy and spoil the look of the bouquet, so choose only quality material.
Wire wound in paper
Paper-wrapped wire is used for the frames and to secure the wrapping of the bouquets. It looks like twine but has all the advantages of wire. It can be quickly wrapped around a bouquet; you don’t need to tie a knot. This can make wrapping bouquets much quicker during the holidays.
Anchor-scotch
Anchor-scotch is an adhesive tape for tying voluminous bouquets, for example, 101 roses. The ribbon is water-repellent, so bouquets tied with it will not fall apart in water.
Flower extensions
Extension tubes are used to adjust the height of the stem. They are long tubes with a bulb at the top into which water is poured. Flowers with cut or broken stems are introduced into them. Orchids, for example, are only used in bouquets with extensions due to their short stems.
Scotch tape
Thin paper tape with a slight adhesive effect. It is used for taping, a special flower-strengthening technique. Fine wire and tape can reinforce a soft gerbera stem or the bottom of an amaranth stem so they do not become soggy and fall apart in water. Duct tape can also be used to wrap some thin sprigs of dried flowers for later use in a bouquet.
