We have all the new styles for Prom Flowers and Accessories

 Wrist corsages are currently the most popular prom flowers in our area. Basic designs can be as low as $10.00, popular sizes are in the 20 – 30.00 range, and even more elaborate creations can be made. Of course some girls still opt for a traditional nosegay or hand tied bouquet, which can also be accessorized for an added “WOW” factor.

Whichever you choose, flowers should be considered an accent to your ensemble, and should be planned accordingly. Although we can accommodate last minute orders, a better idea is to schedule a time with your date to order flowers together – this will achieve a coordinated look. Consider flowers that compliment the dress color. Contrasting colors such as hot pink and bright blue, lime green and orange, or pink and green are colors that stand out in any setting.

Let Chester’s help you express your personal style by customizing a design just for you. Call 315-797-2360 today or visit us at Chestersflowers.com for more ideas.

 Many people think that while shopping for lilies, they need to purchase one that’s already in full bloom. Your lily will last much longer if you find one which is just starting to open. The following are tips on how to pick the perfect Easter Lily and care for it as well.

- Choose a plant that has has a tight bud to a partially opened flower. ——->

- Make sure the Lily has a uniform rich, healthy, green color and check the plant for signs of insects and disease like dark spots, crinkling and wilting.

- The plant you choose should be approximately two times as tall as the pot.

- Display the Lily in bright but indirect sunlight.

- Keep your Lily away from appliances or windows that have drafts or heat sources such as a wood stove.

- Make sure to remove the anthers (pollen) from the center because this helps to prolong the life of the Lily as well as keep from staining the white flower or anything else it contacts.

- Keep the daytime temperatures  around 60 – 65 degrees F, or cooler if you want the lily to last even longer.

- Water when the soil becomes dry and remove flowers as the fade and wither.

If regularly tended to, and with the proper care, your Easter Lily will turn out to be a beautiful Easter display.

For quality Easter lilies and many more seasonal flowering plants, visit Chester’s greenhouses on York St before Easter.

For added enjoyment, try planting your lily outside.  After all the blooms are gone, cut the remaining stem about 1″ above the soil line and plant the whole soil mass so the bulb settles about 6-8 deep. You may get a bloom in the fall, and it’s likely you’ll get one  the following spring too.

Chester’s greenhouses are bursting with color. You’ll find an exciting selection of Easter flowering plants now through Easter Sunday. The traditional Easter lily is available in several sizes. It’s fragrance and white trumpet shaped flowers can be enjoyed indoors now, and the bulbs can be planted outside to enjoy again and again.

Other seasonal flowering plants which can be planted later outside are Oriental lilies, hyacinths, tulips, crocus, daffodils, primrose, and even mini rosebushes. All are on display now at Chester’s and all make a perfect Easter gift or decoration.

Also featured now are azaleas, hydrangeas, mums, begonias, gloxinia, cineraria, violets, kalanchoe, calla lily, orchids, and gerbera daisies. Most of these varieties are meant to be enjoyed indoors, and are not expected to thrive outdoors.

What’s special about Chester’s plants is the way we treat them. You’ll find plants just starting to open, and often loaded with buds so they are long lasting. You’ll also see gift plants trimmed with all the special touches, like colorful ribbons, birds, butterflies, branches and who knows what else. You might find a plant in a basket, or a decorative ceramic pot or tin planter, or even a birdhouse or watering can….easy to pick up or to have delivered.

Fresh flowers are also a terrific Easter gift. At Chester’s it’s common to find avariety of flowers like beautiful roses, fragrant lilies, delphinium, vibrant gerbera daisies, carnations, Bells or Ireland, snapdragon and so much more. This season tulips and iris are in stock, and speaking of stock, we usually have that too! Pick up some to arrange yourself, or select a design from the many on display daily.

Indulge yourself in some Russell Stover Easter Candy, or pick up a soft cuddly plush bunny for your favorite little person. There’s an exciting selection at Chester’s. Enjoy the colors of springtime inside and out. Happy Easter from your friends at Chester’s.

Chester’s Flower Shop in Utica has some beautiful colors available right now. These plants were brought in  late December from the West Coast and potted right here in Chester’s greenhouses. Here we keep most of the crop cool, so they don’t all flower too soon. We warm a small quantity weekly, and within 20-30 days they are showing color.

Once in the home, just water them when they are dry. Fill the pot with water, and let it run through the drainage holes into a saucer. Dump any extra standing water out so the plant is not continuosly sitting in water.

Azaleas can tolerate cool temperatures – even down into the low 30′s. The cooler they are kept, the longer they will stay in bloom. In the home, try to keep them away from extremely warm areas for best results.

The perfect time to get an azalea is when the flowers are just starting to open and there are plenty of buds showing color, but even a wide open azalea can last quite a long time.

Unfortunately these plants are not the “hardy” varieties you see in local landscape nurseries. They can be planted outside in the spring, but the chances of them wintering over are slim in Central NY.

Visit Chester’s Greenhouses to see flowering azaleas, or many other flowering and tropical plants.

Chester’s greenhouses are in bloom with a huge assortment of colorful flowering plants such as lilies, azalea, tulips, hyacinths, mini-rose bushes, hydrangeas and many more.

The ducklings are still a main attraction at Chester’s and “Chetty the Rabbit” will be on hand with a “surprise” for the kids. The showroom at Chester’s will also be filled with outstanding fresh flower arrangements for everyone to enjoy, and terrific cash & carry flower specials too!!!

Visitors are encouraged to bring their cameras to capture the beauty, and bring the children to enjoy the live duckling display. The ducklings will be on hand all week, through Easter Sunday. Chester’s will be welcoming people for an early preview on Saturday March 31st and all day Palm Sunday April 1^st.               Chetty the Rabbit will be making his appearance on Sunday only and of course there is no admission charge.

Chester’s is a full service retail florist serving the Utica area for over 75 years. Located at 1117 York St. Utica, NY between Court St. and Burrstone Rd. They can be reached at 797-2360 and on the web at ChestersFlowers.com.

Origin of Valentine’s Day

The roots of Valentine’s Day go back to ancient times, when people honored the Roman God of Fertility. This was known as the Feast of Lupercalia, and was celebrated on February the 14th.  

On the eve of the Festival of Lupercalia, the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl’s name from the jar and would then be partners with the girl whom he chose for the remainder of the festival.

In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday used to honor Juno, the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage.

Sending Flowers for Valentine’s Day

A bouquet of lovely red roses is the perfect gift to send to your significant other this Valentine’s Day.

Stop in to Chester’s Flower shop and pick up a beautiful bouquet of roses for your special someone. In addition to flowers, add-ons of chocolate, an adorable stuffed bear and even a fun balloon with a message can make a thoughtful bouquet of Valentine’s Day flowers all the more better.

 Although we are open on Valentine’s Day, it is still good to place your orders ahead of time.  Order in advance and take delivery before the 14th to avoid complications. (Like a big central NY snowstorm) Click here to learn how to get a free 10$ gift card!

spring.

The plant is very easy to care for. Choose one with a few flowers with strong straight stems and lots of buds tucked down underneath the foliage.  Provide the plant with bright light out of direct sunlight and in cool temperatures, preferably below 68 degrees  but no lower than 50 degrees.  Warm temperatures above 70 degrees cause the leaves to yellow and discourage blooming. Cyclamen also need high humidity, (most houses are very dry in the winter), so place the plant on a tray with pebbles filled with water but low enough so the plant is not sitting in water. The evaporation of the water should provide enough humidity.

Cyclamen do not like getting it’s  crown  wet which could encourage tube rot so care must be given when watering from the top. Let the plant dry out well but not to the point of wilting then give it a good slow drink, making sure not to flood the crown. An easier way to water is by placing the plant in a tray of water and letting it sit for 15 minutes then remove the plant and allow to drain. This prevents any water from damaging the crown.  A ½ strength, water soluble house plant fertilizer can be applied every 3-4 weeks  and , make sure there is good air circulation around the plant to prevent diseases.

Removing the dead flowers, including their stems, will encourage more buds and extend its length of flowering.

The cyclamen, a beautiful blooming house plant is a great addition to your home décor but also makes a great get well gift, birthday gift,   or a gift for any other special occasion.

Potted orchids require bright indirect light every day, but do not expose these plants to direct sunlight. Thoroughly soak the potting medium during each watering, then allow to drain. For best results, water orchid plants in the morning and less frequently during winter months. These plants must have pots with good drainage.

Most orchids prefer daytime temperatures during the summer to be around 70 – 85 F and nightime temps between 60 F and 70 F. In the Winter, the plant prefers temperatures as low as 60 F in the daytime and as low as 55 F in the nighttime. Orchids require  humid air, and will not tolerate hot, stuffy conditions, so make sure to provide good air circulation.

In the Northeast, orchids set new blooms in the fall if  fertilized with Orchid food starting  around September first for about 6 weeks. Make sure soil is moist before fertilizing.  It is not necessary to fertilize while the plant is in bloom. Always water orchid plants prior to feeding.

Remove blossoms as they fade and occassionally wipe the tops and undersides of plant leaves with warm soapy water to remove any dust or insects. Do not use leaf shine on orchid foliage.

When all the blooms have faded, cut the stems to about 2 inches. This will enable some plants to rebloom from both the base and from the existing stem, producing multiple spikes during future blooming.

Colors vary among orchid types, but collectively, these exotic blooms are available in every color except blue-green, and blue. With proper care and environmental conditions, individual orchid blooms can last for weeks.

Our greenhouse usually stocks several varieties with different colors available. Call or visit often for information.

            This zygo-cactus, native to Central and South America comes in many colors including, white, pink, yellow, orange, red and purple.  Through years of hybridization, we now have Christmas cactus, Easter cactus and Thanksgiving cactus. They are called epiphytes and grow in the same environment as orchids. The cactus grow in forks of trees where leaves and other debris accumulate and decay. Their cultural requirements are very different from  the familiar desert cacti.

            The #1 question is “how do I get it to bloom?”  Between September and October the plant should be kept in a cool room set in bright, indirect light location.  At night, the room must be in total darkness even free from artificial lighting, very similar to getting a poinsettia to re-bloom.  The plant must not be subjected freezing temperatures. Proper temperature,  sufficient  lighting and limited water will bring the cactus into flower.

            Christmas cactus is a tropical plant and will require the same care as other tropical house plants.  Water thoroughly, then allow  the first inch of soil dry out.  During fall and winter months the plant requires less watering. Being tropical, they require 50-60% humidity so it’s a good practice to place the pot on a saucer filled with pebbles and water. (Make sure the plant is not sitting in water). Another tip is to keep the plant away from doors or heating vents to prevent  being  affected by cool and warm drafts.  Fertilize with 0-10-10 in late November and again in February. During April-September, it’s active growing period,   fertilize with a liquid all purpose fertilizer.

            Troubleshooting  -  bud drop off is a common problem with Christmas cactus. It’s usually caused by too much watering but it can be from lack of humidity or insufficient light.

            After holiday blooming, give the plant a 30 day rest and place back in a cool room with limited watering. The plant may drop a few leaves and look weak but it will rejuvenate after watering.

            The best time for repotting, pruning or shaping is right before  its growth spurt between February- April. Christmas cactus like being root bound so don’t be too quick to put it in a larger pot.

            The new hybrid Christmas cactus can re-bloom several times throughout the year if given proper care. Visit Chester’s greenhouses this month to see Christmas cactus in several sizes as well as many other seasonal plants.

Holiday Preview 2011

The staff at Chester’s Flower Shop in Utica, NY is gearing up for their annual Holiday Open House – Saturday Nov. 19th, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday Nov 20th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register for the “Free Drawing” and become eligible to win a gift basket filled with valuable gifts and merchandise from local vendors. Over $1,000 worth to be given away total. Local businesses include: Adirondack Bank, Altieri’s Restaurant, Babe’s Macaroni Grill, Bagel Grove, Brewery Gift Shop, Caffe Caruso, Candies-N-Cupcakes, Carmella’s, Chester’s Flower Shop, Hair Designs by Michelle, Hippo’s House of Billiards, Holland Farms, Joey’s Restaurant, Jordan James Salon,  New Hartford Nice-N-Easy, Clinton Nice-N-Easy, Natural Wellness Message Therapy, Primo Pizza at the Kettle,  Stanley Center for the Arts, Travel Masters, Symeon’s, and TP Brake and Muffler.

Mark your calendar now and be sure to visit Chester’s during Holiday Preview 2011. Enjoy  refreshments while you browse the exquisitely decorated York St showroom. You’ll see unique gifts and colorful seasonal decorations and also get a peak at the wonderful selection of poinsettias in Chester’s greenhouses. Bring your family for a holiday photo taken by a professional photographer too…. and bring your camera to capture the beauty of the season.

See you at Chester’s November 19th and 20th!