Eco Floristry with Tea Tree
There are so many ways that the world of floristry is evolving to meet with our changing times. Growing or buying flowers locally and organically is one very good one. Reducing single use plastic packaging as much as possible is another.
One that we might not think about as much however, is chemical use in the studio, or garden if you're a flower grower.
Bacteria is a flowers worst enemy. If you want to get a good vase life and have a healthy garden, it's really important to keep your tools and equipment clean.
I started off using bleach to clean my buckets, wipe benches and clean my secateurs, but it was very harsh on my hands and I didn't like feeling of breathing it in.
As it turns out, bleach can be very irritating and corrosive to the skin, lungs, and eyes. It has also been known to burn human tissue internally and externally. Some people have also reported experiencing skin rashes, extreme headaches, migraines, muscle weakness and nausea and vomiting from continued use.
When doing some work for a floristry studio in Byron Bay a while back, the head florist advised me that they had stopped all use of bleach due to the adverse health risks it poses. They were now sticking with water with a little soap instead. I immediately ceased the use of it in my home studio.
Enter Tea Tree Oil!
As we have a certified organic Tea Tree farm, I began to wonder if I could use a little tea tree for a similar effect. Knowing it's an awesome antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-fungal, I figured it could be great to use in the studio and garden, and I was right. I began to wash my buckets with a few drops of TT EO rather than soap, which was quicker, used less hot water and was more effective. I then wiped over my secateurs with a diluted spray of tea tree and water, which I also used to wipe over benches and surfaces before working with the flowers.
Tea tree can also be effective in the garden. Dave Forest, a local organic farmer friend has been doing some trials with our Tea Tree Oil in the garden and is finding it really effective as a topical spray for fungal issues on plants and some viruses. I'll definitely keep you posted on the outcomes of his trials. Less is always more in the garden but having something organic you can DIY at the right time can be priceless.
So, no more bleach or nasty chemicals and YAY for the natural wonders of Tea Tree Oil! The cleanest and greenest of all essential oils (in my humble opinion). Any tea tree will do the job of course, but I do recommend our certified organic, wood-fire distilled pure Tea Tree Essential Oil if your wanting something high quality for a good price, whilst supporting regenerative and organic farming practices.
So keep it clean and keep it green!!
I'd love to know what you use tea tree oil or if you are keen to use some in your floristry or gardening?
I also often add 1-2 drops of TT EO into vases to extend the vase life by preventing bacteria build up. Comment below if you'd be interested in seeing a vase life trial of this and I'll share it with you here!
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