Plant Care
How to Take Care of Kokedama and Water Them?
What is a Kokedama?
It’s a traditional Japanese art form that originated more than 400 years ago.
Kokedama is a ball of soil, covered with moss, on which an ornamental plant grows.
Some people call it the ‘poor man’s bonsai’ or ‘String garden’
It is a poor man bonsai because bonsai trees were really expensive back in the day.
This way, anyone could create a little bonsai Kokedama for themselves
by using any type of plant and putting it into this bowl of mud and moss.
It is called the string bonsai
Because you can hang the kokedama like this.
How do you know if your Kokedama needs watering?
- The first sign to know if your kokedama needs watering is the weight.
So if you carry it, and it is super light like this one,
that means that the soil is really dry, and that’s good for water.
The frequency of watering depends on the plant used for your moss ball.
Here is what we will recommend for:
foliage kokedama- once a week
succulent kokedama every 2.5 to 3 weeks.
Remember, with succulents you want to make sure that the soil is really dry because the succulent doesn’t want so much watering.
- The second step to check if your kokedama needs water is with a toothpick.
So the way that you check is to insert the tooth pick right inside the soil, and you want to make sure that your stick goes all the way to the middle of your kokedama ball.
Then you take it out, and if the stick is dry, that means that your Kokedama needs watering.
So, here is what you need to water your kokedama:
A bowl like this and water.
So to start, fill up the bowl with water to a level where your moss ball will be covered half way.
Remember, you want the water to reach the roots, but not the plant itself.
Then place the moss ball inside the water.
You can add more water if needed.
Let it stay for about 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, take your moss ball out of the water and let it dry for another 15 minutes.
A faster way is to
Use a dry cloth, wrap it around the kokedama and give a gentle squeeze to dry the moss.
And there you have it. A watered kokedama!
Do give these tips a try
until next time, stay tuned at direct wholesale flower
LILY CARE — GET ALL 5 BUDS TO OPEN
Three things that unlock the full bloom cycle.
A typical lily stem comes with 3–5 buds, only 1–2 of which will be open at any one time. The key to maximizing the value of a lily lies in coaxing all 5 into blooming in sequence through the vase life period. Here’s how.
1 – Immediately remove the pollen anthers
Pollen grains are released from the stamen anthers (orange-brown pollen sacs found at the center of each open flower). The pollen grains stain anything they come into contact with, including clothes, table cloths, and even the petals of adjacent flowers. It is recommended to pinch each anther off using a paper towel once a flower starts to open. This practice increases the lifespan of the flower by 2–3 days as it ceases the reproductive process and conserves its energy.
2 – Cut between the buds nodes, not below them
The lily stem possesses buds nodes every 10–15cm. In the event of re-cutting, always cut between buds nodes and never directly beneath them, since doing so will cut off water supply to the next bud, hence hindering its opening. This is the primary mistake made by amateur floral arrangers with regards to lilies.
3 – Cool, not cold; bright, not direct
Lilies bloom quickly in warm conditions and slowly in cold conditions. Should you wish to see all 5 buds open within 10 days (rather than simultaneously on the third day), keep your lilies in a moderately cool room (22–24°C is recommended in Singapore air-conditioning conditions) with bright indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight causes simultaneous blooming.
WHOLESALE LILIES SINGAPORE – FAQ
Q1. What is the wholesale price of lilies in Singapore?
The starting wholesale price for China lilies is $40.00 inc. GST per 5-stem bundle. Holland premium Calla lilies start at $35.00 per 5-stem bundle. There is no trade price — everyone pays the same wholesale price.
Q2. Do I require a trade account to buy wholesale lilies?
No. Everyone pays the same wholesale price — florists, hotels, event teams, retail customers, DIY brides. There is no application, no membership, no trade card. Walk in or order online.
Q3. What is the minimum quantity of lilies required?
One bundle of 5 stems. There is no minimum order quantity at DWF.
Q4. How many flowers are contained per stem?
2–5 blooms per stem. China Manissa lilies have 2–3 buds per stem; Oriental varieties have 4–5 buds per stem; Casablanca and Stargazer have 3–5 buds per stem. We guarantee “2+” buds per stem at our cold room facility; actual buds per stem are usually more.
Q5. Which variety of lily is recommended for weddings?
Casablanca (China) lilies for weddings – pure white, strong fragrance, large open bloom. Stargazer (China) for weddings requiring pink-white contrast. Calla (Holland) lilies for minimalist weddings – single-bloom architecture works perfectly as a single stem in a tall vase. WhatsApp us on +65 8845 8888 to book specific varieties 10 days ahead of your wedding.
Q6. How long will lilies last in a vase?
8-14 days with staggered blooming period. Days 1-3: buds open. Days 3-8: maximum blooms with multiple blooms open. Days 8-14: late buds open as early blooms die off. Proper care will increase the life of your lilies by extending the upper end of this period.
Q7. Why are some lilies marked “2+” buds instead of an exact bud count?
Industry standard. Lily growers grade stems based on minimum guaranteed number of buds, not exact number of buds as this changes weekly. A “2+” China Manissa stem typically contains 3–4 buds; a “5+” premium Oriental stem typically contains 5–7 buds.
CARNATIONS CARE – TO GET THE FULL 14 DAYS!
Three tricks to get the best vase life for your carnations in the shop.
Carnations are the most tolerant of mistakes cut flower we carry – virtually any mistake will still yield results. But there are three things you can do which will take care of the standard 10-day vase life of carnations and turn them into reliable performers for any arrangement.
1 – Cut carnation stems between the nodes
Carnation stems have clearly-visible bulges (nodes) every 3-5cm. Cutting through a node seriously damages the vascular system of the stem and reduces vase life to 5 days maximum, while correctly-cut stems live up to 14 days. Be careful while cutting the stems and try to find the nodes – make each cut between them, in the thinner part of the stem. It is the most common mistake arrangers make when cutting carnations.
2 – Don’t use flower food on day 1
Intuitively strange but scientifically true. Carnations are highly sensitive to sucrose concentrations of the standard flower food – using it when cutting the stems will accelerate bud opening, but reduce vase life by 2-3 days. Put carnations in cool water without flower food for the first day, and then add flower food on day two, after the stems will be rehydrated. This trick will increase vase life from 10 days to 13-14.
3 – Avoid placing near fruits or other flowers
Carnations are very sensitive to ethylene – the gas emitted by all ripe fruits (apples, bananas, tomatoes etc.) and other flowers as they age. Ethylene causes premature wilting and curling of the carnation petals. Never place arrangements less than 2 metres from the fruit bowl, and remove any withered flowers from the arrangement (they produce ethylene which harms the neighboring stems). This tip alone will extend vase life of carnations by 4-5 days.
WHOLESALE CARNATIONS SINGAPORE — FAQ
Q1. What’s the wholesale price for carnations in Singapore?
Our standard wholesale prices: Vietnam standard carnations from $10.00 inc. GST per bundle of 20 stems, China standard from $12.00 per bundle of 20. Spray carnations (multi-headed) run roughly the same per-bundle price but with 10 stems per bundle since each stem produces 4–6 blooms. There is no separate “trade price” — the price you see is the price everyone pays.
Q2. Do I need a trade account to buy wholesale carnations?
No. Every customer pays the same wholesale price — florists, hotels, event teams, walk-in retail buyers, DIY brides. No application, no membership, no trade-card gate. Walk in to our cold room at 50 Gambas Crescent, or order online.
Q3. What’s the minimum order for carnations?
One bundle. There is no minimum order quantity at DWF. Standard carnation bundles contain 20 stems, spray carnation bundles contain 10 stems (since each stem produces multiple blooms). Whether you need 1 bundle for a single bouquet or 50 bundles for a funeral parlour standing order, you pay the same wholesale rate per bundle.
Q4. What’s the difference between standard and spray carnations?
Standard carnations: one large bloom per stem, 5–8cm head diameter, the classic single-flower carnation. Used as a focal flower in funeral wreaths, Mother’s Day bouquets, and standard arrangements. Spray carnations (also called mini carnations): 4–6 smaller blooms per stem on lateral branches, 3–4cm per bloom. Used as filler, in hand bouquets, and for arrangements where you want carnation’s character at smaller scale. Both varieties available from all three of our origins.
Q5. Which carnation colour is most popular in Singapore?
Pink (especially for Mother’s Day — pink carnation is the traditional Mother’s Day flower) and white (for funeral wreaths and condolence sprays — the standard sympathy carnation colour in Singapore floristry). Red and red-tipped two-tone come third, used for romantic arrangements and Valentine’s overflow when premium roses are sold out. We stock all standard colours plus seasonal novelty colours year-round.
Q6. How long do carnations last in a vase?
10–14 days for standard carnations, 8–12 days for spray varieties. With proper care (see the three-step guide above) — specifically the no-flower-food-on-day-one technique and keeping arrangements away from fruit — most Singapore florists routinely get the full 14 days from Colombia standards and 12 days from Vietnam workhorses. Carnations outlast every other flower in our catalogue.
