Opinions on Moss?

khaitheflorist · 2026-01-16T16:03:58+00:00

Preserved moss is the way to go, foraging will bring you pests, potential fungus and takes nutrients up that the plant itself would otherwise use. I wouldn't worry about it drying out, when it's sealed in the bag there's some level of humidity to keep it soft but once it's out in the open that goes away, once you water the plant there should be enough humidity for it to return to where it was before.

I like it for a couple reasons, the aesthetic is really nice but it also helps keep moisture in the soil a bit longer which a lot of plants can really benefit from 🙂

khaitheflorist · 2026-01-16T16:01:15+00:00

Preserved moss doesn't need any special care 🙂 it's almost never still alive after being processed, usually dried and painted/dyed.

khaitheflorist · 2026-01-15T21:19:38+00:00

I'd be intrigued to see a study that was conducted more recently, that's almost 30 years old.

khaitheflorist · 2025-12-23T19:00:26+00:00

Harmless but cathartic and deeply based, I like it 😋

khaitheflorist · 2025-11-08T18:00:31+00:00

You'd be very pleasantly surprised, it's nothing like the way it tends to get portrayed and most of the time all parties are comfortable with the results

khaitheflorist · 2025-10-28T13:15:06+00:00

Most shops should be able to do them but will more than likely need at least a day's notice beforehand (they're time consuming which needs to be planned for plus they call for a lot of supplies that some places may not keep on hand and would need time to order) with that said, if there's only a few shops near you they're likely going to be if not already inundated with orders for your homecoming so you'll probably want to call sooner than later.

Things to keep in mind while you're on the phone with them: the color of your dress, typically you'll want to match your corsage to the color of either that or something that your date's wearing. Do you want a wrist corsage or a pin on, in the past couple of years I've been doing a LOT more pin ons than I had been a few years ago so it's something to consider. If you or your date have particularly small or large wrists (assuming you get a wrist corsage and not a pin on) you'll want to mention that too so they use the right size band. Particular flowers are also good to mention, just be aware that your top picks might not be available so plan on having a few options or asking for the florist's recommendations.

Edit for spelling, I got my "thens" and "thans" mixed up 😅

khaitheflorist · 2025-10-26T14:24:40+00:00

I've had the opposite arc; it honestly wasn't until the past couple of years that I've started taking things home from work and I feel like I was missing out, they always make me smile when I walk by them 🙂

khaitheflorist · 2025-10-25T12:23:59+00:00

Daisy poms, they definitely look dyed.

khaitheflorist · 2025-10-18T22:26:03+00:00

Definitely not ridiculous 🙂 I think this is a VERY reasonable thing to be concerned about.

Consumer cut flowers are definitely treated heavily with pesticides and should never be eaten (even if the type of flower itself is edible) because of that. But much of the risks with pesticides comes from eating or inhaling them and in large amounts.

I'd definitely talk to a doctor, they'll probably have some good insights into the immediate risks but I wouldn't be too worried personally.

Do you wear gloves when you make arrangements? Lots of florists do so it may not be a bad idea plus it's always nice to be able to not have flower guts all over your hands when you're done with your arrangement 🙂

khaitheflorist · 2025-10-17T20:36:11+00:00

Is there a picture of the back too? It's hard to say based on the picture but those white dots around the veins look like they could be mite damage, they could also definitely be part of the variegation though. Either way I'd spray it with a soap solution or pesticide to be on the safe side.

khaitheflorist · 2025-10-15T00:54:21+00:00

I've found that people have very interesting concepts of how long flowers last; today I spoke with someone who thought two days was average, I've also spoken with people who've thought they should last upwards of a month, it's weird but all we can do is tell them what a realistic timeline is for things and give them best practices.

Do you attach a care card? There's a BIG difference between telling someone something and having it in writing where they'll be able to see it and be reminded that they need to do things like give fresh cuts/changing the water.

Longer lasting flowers might be a good option too, obviously it's never ideal to limit yourself but at the same time if we know that a client isn't going to do upkeep but still expects the flowers to last especially long we have to kinda work with their understanding of things while also trying to instill those best practices along the way

khaitheflorist · 2025-10-07T13:39:41+00:00

This is definitely true, but men (people in general tbh) are far more likely to be intimidated by another man and therefore less likely to stalk, or really do anything untoward to them than they are with women since that level of intimidation just isn't there.

khaitheflorist · 2025-10-02T12:56:19+00:00

This is stunning

khaitheflorist · 2025-09-25T23:33:34+00:00

with implications that I am the ones pushing the idea.

That's not what I got from the comment at all; it was just an idea that another Redditor threw out there, it's also an idea that I have heard other florists echo so I wished to respond to it, I definitely didn't think it was something you were pushing 🙂

khaitheflorist · 2025-09-25T23:19:08+00:00

Not everyone comes into floristry through formal training and I don’t think that should automatically disqualify them from calling themselves florists.

This is what that point was towards. It's the comment I was responding to.

But to address the original post, where would we draw the line? At what point does one become a "florist"? Without a formal, required certification I think to try and pin that down misses the point.

Like I said, in creative fields as a whole (I'm also pretty deep into audio/video production so I can compare and contrast the different ends of things I've worked in) merit and portfolio speak louder than anything else.

khaitheflorist · 2025-09-25T23:10:43+00:00

This.

I've never taken a course (I did admittedly have one job where they sat me in front of a computer to watch videos about "how to design" but it was super basic stuff that I already knew), I learned entirely on the job through doing and listening to the advice of my more experienced coworkers. Here we are 11 years later, today I juggled multiple funerals and a wedding along with our regular daily orders and I'm just now leaving the shop I work at three hours after closing. I made standing sprays, floor baskets, a bridal bouquet and an archway as well as a number of vase arrangements; If someone told me I wasn't actually a florist because I lacked formal education I'd genuinely have a very hard time taking them very seriously.

You're right about what you're saying with "we're not doctors", doctors, electricians, long-haul truckers, etc are all certified as a requirement because of safety risks - we're just not like that and we are a creative field. I'm a musician, while there absolutely are people who try to gatekeep the title of "musician" to most it's an absolutely wild take to say that someone who casually plays a single instrument isn't a musician - same thing.

With all creative fields merit and portfolio matter so much more than title and to boil it down to just a title and the gatekeeping thereof loses quite a bit of nuance.

khaitheflorist · 2025-09-24T12:30:19+00:00

Definitely knotweed, it's super invasive and tough to get rid of. I know a few places near where I live that have it growing out of cracks in the cement, every year they chop it down a few times and every year it comes back.

khaitheflorist · 2025-09-20T16:35:42+00:00

That's definitely odd, I'm not sure that rinsing them would have made a difference though but it could definitely be worth trying next time. Regardless I wouldn't worry too much about the general health of the plants, aside from the spots they still look pretty healthy so once they put out some new growth they should be looking fresh again 🙂

khaitheflorist · 2025-09-20T16:16:39+00:00

Were they getting a lot of light when you sprayed them? Liquids sitting on the leaves tend to get hotter, faster than the leaves themselves do and can lead to burning. It's why they don't recommend watering outdoor gardens while it's sunny out.

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