Bouquets Made From Budget Friendly Grocery Store Flowers

If you’re like me, you do not like purchasing flower bouquets from florists. In my opinion, they are quite pricey, especially when you tack on all the fees. Also, once ordered, they may not look like what you really had in mind even though you told them what you wanted. Instead of going through the expense and hassle of ordering flowers from a florist, why not create your own? Learn how to make beautiful bouquets from inexpensive grocery store flowers for yourself, friends, and family. See how budget friendly it can be!

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Grocery Store Flowers Vs. Florist Flowers

There are a few marked differences between grocery store and flower shop flowers. Some of the main differences are below.

Price: Grocery store flowers are much cheaper than floral shops because they buy in bulk and purchase more common varieties which are distributed throughout all their locations. They also have a high turnover rate. Florists buy smaller amounts and more exotic flowers for their individual stores which increases the price.
Quality: Grocery store flowers may not have the same quality as those in florist shops. When assessing quality, consider the flowers’ longevity. Many grocery store flowers will only last a few days, however florist flowers will last on average 14 to 19 days.
Variety: Florists offer more exotic varieties of flowers while, in contrast, grocery stores contain more limited, generic flowers. Florists are able to acquire flowers from all over the world regardless of season.
Expertise: Florists offer personalized arrangements and expert advice. On the other hand, grocery stores offer convenience without much expertise.

While your grocery store flowers may not be as exotic as florist bought flowers, you can still create lovely bouquets by following some of the suggestions below.

Selecting Grocery Store Flowers

There are a few grocery stores that consistently provide fresh, quality flowers. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are noted for their affordable and more diversified assortment of flowers. Costco also sells flowers in bulk if you need to create arrangements for parties, weddings, or other events. Additionally, some Walmart locations carry a wide variety of options at competitive prices.

My local Acme has good quality flowers and there is a high rate of turnover which allows them to provide fresh flowers almost daily.

For the purpose of creating your own bouquet, buy 2 to 3 bunches of flowers (the “leading ladies” of your bouquet) each containing complementary colors. In addition to the leading ladies, purchase some greenery (scroll below for an explanation of greenery).

What to Look For When Selecting Grocery Store Flowers

Most importantly, look for closed buds. In time they will open up and last much longer.
Be sure there are no bent or broken stems.
Look for strong green stems. Pinch the bottoms to see if they are firm. If they are mushy, they have been sitting there too long and are significantly compromised.
Sniff the stems to check for odors. They should smell fresh not rancid.
Look for healthy petals, particularly those that are firm and vibrant.
Make sure the flowers’ leaves are not in the water and that they are all green, firm, and not droopy.
Purchase fragrant flowers such as small carnations, lilies, dianthus or roses.
Choose colors that reflect the season.
Look for small bunches that cost $5 or less.

How to Make Bouquets From Grocery Store Flowers

A. Choose a Container

You do not have to spend a lot of money on vases. In fact, you probably have containers in your home that you can already use. Think outside the box. Use mason jars, pitchers, watering cans, or glasses for a vase. Any nonporous container will suffice as long as the vase is taller than it is wide AND the neck is narrower than the bottom. This allows for the arrangement to look full without using too many stems.

Below are a few options for vases.

Unique Bouquet Vases From Etsy/ Shop Here

B. Prepare Your Stems for Bouquets

You need to prepare your grocery store stems promptly after you have brought them home. Follow the suggestions below in order to keep your flowers fresh in the vase.

Cut the Stems

First, remove any leaves that will be below the water line before you cut the stems. This prevents bacteria from entering the water and contaminating the flowers.

Remove leaves that will be submerged into the water of your bouquets

2. Eye-ball the length you would like to cut the stems by comparing them to the size and shape of the container.

TIP: Use the “rule of thirds”…cut stems 1/3 or 2/3 the height of the vase. In other words, the flowers extend 1/3 to 2/3 the total height of the vase. The flowers should be the focal point, not the vase.

TIP: An easy way to estimate the height is by placing the vase on a counter and holding the stems next to the vase allowing them to fall below the edge of the counter to the correct height. Then cut the stems.

A bouquet of measured stems held next to the container

3. Third, cut stems at least 1 inch from the bottom at a 45 degree angle away from the nodes (the bumps on the stems are the nodes). This allows more surface of the stem to absorb water.

TIP: Cut and submerge them in a container of clean water for a while so they become plump and full of water before they are arranged in the vase/container. In the meantime, follow the steps below.

Begin your bouquets by cutting stems of flowers with a sharp knife at a 45 degree angle

C. Keep Bouquets Fresh and Long Lasting

Your grocery store flower bouquet will last up to a week or more depending on the type of flowers you choose.

TIP: Small carnations can last up to one month if you select buds that are closed and replace the water every 3 to 4 days.

To make the flowers last longer, you can either add store bought plant food to the water or easily make your own plant food with household items (see below).
Change the water every 3 to 4 days. Clean the container with soap and water and add fresh plant food.
Cut the stems a half inch or more each time you change the water to prevent stems from closing up.

Prepare the Water/Use Plant Food Packet

Empty the packet of plant food that is packed with the flowers into the vase/container.
For larger vases add a quart of room temperature water to the vase. This allows the stem to absorb the water more readily and helps dissolve the food crystals. Conversely, for small vases add a smaller amount of food and water relative to the size of the vase.
Stir until dissolved.

Prepare the Water/Make Your Own Plant Food

You can also make your own food by following the recipe below.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 quart (approximately 1 liter) warm water

Directions:

Clean vase/container thoroughly with warm soapy water to remove any residue from previous arrangements.
Combine the 3 ingredients above in a small bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add mixture and cut stems to the vase.

Benefits of Plant Food Ingredients

Sugar

The sugar is the flowers’ energy source. It provides nourishment to the flowers, encourages the buds to open and helps them stay fresh and prolong their vase life.

Vinegar

The vinegar balances the pH level and prevents bacteria from growing.

How to Arrange Bouquets

1. Embrace the vase!!

Let the shape of the vase inspire your design. If the vase is tall and lanky, use long stems. Remember to strip the leaves before placing them in the water of the vase. If the vase is short and round, create a shorter more compact arrangement.

2. Don’t Forget The Greenery – Use as Filler

Greenery is a great filler. Fillers generally are stems without a flower at the top. Below are some examples of greenery which will add interest, depth, and fullness to an arrangement.

Use variations of eucalyptus:

Add dusty miller, ferns, hypericum berries, or palm fronds.

Forage From Your Yard

To keep your bouquet even more inexpensive, try filling in with greens from your own yard. Use evergreen fronds from shrubs and trees. You can also use dried hydrangea flowers, grass plumes, cattails, etc. to bring the outdoors in.

TIP: Cut the stems in early morning while they are most fresh.

3. How to Arrange Bouquets in a Vase

After your flowers have soaked in fresh water and you have prepared your vase/container with plant food, divide your stems into focal flowers and filler flowers. The focal flowers are those which you want to be the “leading ladies”.

If you have a wide brimmed vase, create a grid as described in the video below. If not, begin by adding your filler stems.
Begin with the filler stems (greenery) by criss-crossing them at a slight angle in order to hold the arrangement in place and to create a more professional look.

Then add the “leading ladies” or focus flowers last. These eye-catching flowers are the show-stoppers. Use shorter flowers next to the outer opening of the vase and taller ones extending up to the center.

Finally, add the most dazzling flower in the center of the arrangement.

TIP: Do not add a bud in the center that will open and hide the other flowers such as lilies.

4. Keep Your Bouquets Fresh

In addition to changing the water and cutting the stems:

Place the bouquet close to a source of natural sunlight such as a window or in a sunny room, but not in direct sunlight.
Keep your bouquet in either the refrigerator or a cold room overnight.

To Summarize, Follow These Budget – Friendly Tips

As you can see, you can make beautiful, long-lasting bouquets on a budget so long as you follow these simple steps.

First, purchase local flowers from your favorite grocery store.
Then cut greenery from right outside your door.
Next, prepare the stems.
Feed them with home made plant food.
Arrange them in a beautiful container found in your attic or garage or elsewhere in your home.
Change the water every 3 or 4 days.
Afterwards, keep them in a bright sunny room away from direct heat during the day.
Finally, move them to a cool room at night.

To conclude, if you’d like to save even more money, why not plant your own flowers in your garden? See flowers that are best to grow as cut flowers. If you do not know where to start, contact me and I will virtually create a garden of your dreams.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Please leave a comment below and share it with friends and family.

Happy Gardening,

Nina

bestgardeningforbeginners@gmail.com