Valentine’s Day is equal parts magic and mayhem. After decades of watching florists power through the busiest floral holiday of the year, our team at Green Mountain Floral Supply gathered these 10 shop-tested tips to help you protect your product, streamline your workflow, and take care of your people.
Let roses shipped in water acclimate
Leave the protective wrap on roses shipped in water and place them in your cooler for at least 24 hours before processing. Valentine’s roses are often extremely stressed from transit. Patience here pays off in vase life and performance.
Keep flowers warm during transport
Whether it’s your delivery vehicle or your customer’s car, make sure vehicles are running and warm. Cold shock is real. On freezing days, always cover flowers in plastic before they head outside- even for a quick walk to the car.
Don’t peel your roses
Those outer petals are guard petals, not flaws. Be patient, roses will open beautifully on their own. Clean only if necessary once they’ve had time to hydrate and rest.
Tom & Kim Jennings
Owners, Green Mountain Floral SupplyOffer more “wow” with minimal extra work
Consider offering 24 roses in a vase. It’s not much more labor, there’s no additional vase cost, and the visual impact is huge. Bonus idea: use a broken rose head as a corsage or add-on for an extra touch of romance.
Price for reality, not hope
Valentine’s Day comes with long hours, extra labor, shrink, and delivery stress. Price accordingly. Plan employee meals ahead of time- pizza, salads with protein, or family-style food keeps everyone fueled and costs less than staff running out individually during peak hours.
Put experience where it matters most
Processing is the most important job during any holiday, especially when roses are your biggest investment. Don’t leave your least experienced employee alone with your most valuable product.
Double-check the basics
Before the rush hits, review prebooks and confirm you have enough greens, fillers, vases, ribbons, boxes, bags, cards, and envelopes. Nothing slows production like missing a key component mid-design.
Clean, clear, and create space
An organized shop is a faster shop. Clean buckets and coolers, add extra workstations, clear clutter, and set out additional trash, compost, and recycling bins. Winter reminder: keep entrances and delivery areas shoveled, salted, and safe.
Maximize the moment
Valentine’s Day is your biggest sales window of the season. Remember the old saying: make hay while the sun shines. It’s a long six weeks after February 14- this is the moment to lean in.
Don’t forget to enjoy it
Yes, it’s exhausting. Yes, it’s chaotic. But at its heart, Valentine’s Day is about love and you get to deliver it, one arrangement at a time. Have fun where you can and celebrate the wins, big and small.
Valentine’s Day will always be intense, but with thoughtful prep, realistic pricing, and a steady focus on both product and people, it can also be deeply rewarding. From our team to yours, we hope these tips help your shop move through the season with fewer headaches, healthier roses, and moments of joy mixed into the madness.
