When you start a floral business, you probably have a list of obvious items you’ll need to buy. These include display cases, vases, cash and charge equipment, and of course, flowers. However, you may overlook an essential component of the enterprise: a commercial refrigeration unit. Below is an introduction to refrigeration for flower shops.

Why Does Refrigeration Matter for Flowers?

Just like many foodstuffs, flowers are perishable goods. This means their quality deteriorates over time, and they have a limited lifespan during which they can be sold at top dollar. Environmental conditions affect their shelf life, but a commercial refrigeration unit can control these conditions to maximize product life. Cooling flowers helps you slow their development and provides some control over when the petals open, thus controlling the best time to put the product out for display.

What Factors Does Commercial Refrigeration Control?

Temperature is only one of the important environmental conditions a cooler lets you adjust. Commercial refrigeration designed for florists also lets you control humidity and airflow. This is essential since flowers are also sensitive to moisture and airflow. They require a lot more humidity than a typical beverage cooler permits, and they need gentler airflow. While beverage cooler fans blow cold air as forcefully as possible to keep bottles icy cold, a florist’s cooler uses a gentle fan to prevent your flowers from drying out and keep petals intact.

What Temperatures Do Flowers Need?

The ideal temperature for a floral refrigerator is between 34 and 36 degrees. Note that temperature fluctuations of even five degrees can be catastrophic and could destroy or shorten the shelf life of your flowers. Cut flowers should never be frozen, and they should be stored in a hydrating solution. Humidity should be kept at 90 to 95 percent. Be aware that many tropical plants, including bird-of-paradise, ginger, and tropical orchids, can suffer damage when exposed to cold temperatures and should, therefore, be stored at 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

For maintenance or installation of a commercial refrigeration unit for your flower shop, contact Kendall's Heating & Air, the premier HVAC contractor in Macedonia, GA. They have served clients in and around Towns County for more than 40 years. In addition to commercial refrigeration, they also specialize in furnace and air conditioning installation and maintenance. Learn more about the company at their website or call (706) 896-0830 to make an appointment.