Looking after yourself and your flowers in a heatwave

Heatwaves aren't a rare event in the UK calendar anymore. For growers working outdoors and florists doing market runs, deliveries, weddings and events, a run of hot days brings two separate risks at once: to the people doing the work, and to the stock they're carrying. 

Protecting yourself and your team

Hydration is key. Drink water regularly through the day, especially during physical tasks like loading vans, carrying arrangements or standing at an outdoor stall. Electrolyte drinks help; sugary, caffeinated or alcoholic drinks don't. Fruit and other water-rich foods are a better choice than heavy, oily meals when the temperature's up.

Dress for it. Loose-fitting, light-coloured, breathable clothing. Long sleeves, a wide-brimmed hat and neck covering protect against sun exposure, and sunscreen (SPF 30+) needs reapplying every two hours if anyone's outside for long stretches.

Build in cooling. Damp cloths, spray bottles or cooling towels on the neck and wrists help regulate body temperature during a long shift. Shaded breaks matter almost as much as water breaks.

Pace the day. Where you can, schedule the heaviest physical work — loading, unloading, market setup — for early morning or late afternoon, and keep the hottest part of the day for lighter tasks.

PPE and the buddy system. Gloves and other protective kit are still necessary, but loosen or remove them on breaks where it's safe to do so. Working in pairs means someone's watching for the early signs of heat stress in a colleague, not just their own.

Know the signs. Heat exhaustion shows up as dizziness, tiredness, headache, nausea, or cramps in the legs, arms or stomach. It usually resolves if the person cools down within 30 minutes. Move them somewhere shaded, remove unnecessary clothing, give water or an isotonic drink, and cool the skin with water or ice packs on the neck and armpits. Heat stroke is more serious: fast breathing and heart rate, high temperature, hot skin without sweating, confusion, seizure or loss of consciousness. That's a medical emergency, not a sit-down-and-wait situation.

This advice draws on Perennial's guidance for horticultural workers in a heatwave, the charity that supports people in horticulture. For the employer's side of the picture — risk assessments, PPE and working temperature obligations — the HSE's heat stress risk checklist is a practical starting point.

Keeping your flowers fresher for longer

Heat is also hard on the stock. A few habits make a real difference to vase life once the temperature climbs.

Cut and condition properly. Recut stems at an angle, ideally underwater, before they go into fresh water. This stops air bubbles blocking the stem and keeps the flower taking up water efficiently. 

Keep water cool and clean. Chrysal CVBN is ESSENTIAL: in summer and stops 'soup' appearing in buckets of flowers. It also means you won't have to change bucket water daily in hot weather — bacteria multiply faster in warm water, and dirty water is one of the fastest ways to shorten vase life. Flower food isn't optional in summer; it feeds the stem and controls bacterial growth.

Strip what sits below the waterline. Any leaves or foliage below the water level rot quickly in heat and speed up bacterial growth. Strip them before conditioning. Don't be tempted to remove the uppermost leaves - they will help the transition of water up the stems and will prevent the blooms from blowing open so fast. 

Get flowers out of direct heat. Sun through a shop window or the inside of a van on a delivery run can do more damage in twenty minutes than a full day indoors. Keep stock shaded, and if you're transporting in heat, a cool box or insulated wrap for the journey is worth the extra step.

Watch what's nearby. Ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, which accelerates flowers ageing and wilting. Keep flowers away from fruit bowls, both in the workshop and in any delivery vehicle. Use gentle fans to circulate air and check the humidity levels - sweating flowers will create bacteria and mould. 

Refrigerate overnight where you can. A few hours in a cool store or flower fridge overnight resets a stem's water uptake and noticeably extends how long an arrangement holds up the next day, particularly useful ahead of a wedding or event in hot weather.

Rehydrate on arrival. If flowers have travelled any distance in heat, a fresh recut and a proper drink of clean water before they go into an arrangement makes a measurable difference.

Mist and hydrate 

Make sure customers know to check the water levels daily - we decided in heatwave one to deliver everything in a vase with Chrysal CVBN to ensure maximum longevity of the flowers. It's worked really well so far. Moss has been soaked more then usual for sympathy tributes too - just to compensate for extra evaporation. Chrysal Glory spray has been invaluable at events and shows as well as on every design leaving the studio - this slows the transpiration rate for flowers as well as having a bitter taste so it prevents deer and rabbits eating tributes. 

For flowers travelling any distance or mail order blooms, we have been using Chrysal Arrive alive wraps ( pictured above ) or our non-toxic specialist transit gel squished into a biodegradable bag; both can be found following the links. 

More tips for humans...

Another top tip is to add a rehydration tablet or sachet to diluted juice every day in your water bottle so you stay hydrated.

First signs of dehydration are cramps, headaches and feeling dizzy. Reduce caffeine intake and ensure you are having enough salt too. 

Stay safe and well throughout the summer, especially when there is excessive heat. We don’t want to see people (or flowers) wilting.