Reference
Toolkit & supplies checklist
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Tools (buy once)
Floral snips, bypass, ×3 (one per helper on the line) Heavy pruners for woody stems ×1, and wire cutters / tin snips for chicken wire ×1 Rose and thorn stripper ×2 Floral knife (optional; faster once learned) Pin frogs: 2.5 in ×4, 3.5 in ×4, plus floral putty (Sure-Stick / Cling) Spray bottles ×3; watering cans ×2 Buckets: 2-gal ×15–20, 5-gal ×10–25 depending on big-headed flowers; borrow, or buy food-grade at a restaurant supply Milk crates or lidded bins for finished pieces ×8; wine-box dividers for bud vases ×6 Small drill with 1/4-in bit (cones, inserts); tape measure; utility knife Aprons ×4; work gloves ×2 pairs; nitrile gloves (ammi, euphorbia, alstroemeria) Plastic tablecloths ×3; old towels ×12; trash bins ×3; compost tub ×2 Painter's tape and markers for labels; index cards; a clipboard Second refrigerator (borrowed/rented) for flower week
Mechanics (build ahead, reusable)
Chicken wire, 1-in hex, green florist netting, 18 in × 50 ft (enough for about 15 compote domes, several large pillows and station pieces, with spare) Waterproof floral tape: 1/4-in clear ×3 rolls, 1/2-in green ×3 rolls Bind wire / paddle wire, green, ×2 paddles Zip ties: 4-in and 8-in, green or black, 100 each Liners: plastic design bowls or deli tubs sized to each outer vessel, one per vessel plus spares Weight: sand in zip bags, gravel, or fishing weights; enough for every outer vessel outdoors Water tubes: 3-in ×100, 6-in ×50, plus spiked picks ×50 Design cones / trays ×4 (only if building an arch or a bar front with fresh) Foam-alternative blocks or pillows (Agra-Wool, Oshun pouch, Holly Chapple pillow) ×4, optional Dry floral foam bricks for faux inserts, one per insert (faux only, reused) Preserved sheet moss and mood moss, 2–3 lb; greening pins ×200 Glass gems or sand to weight tippy bud vases
Consumables (buy 6–8 weeks out)
Personal-flowers kit (if making bouts, corsages, bouquets)
Florist wire: 22-gauge ×1 pack, 24 ×2, 26 ×2, green enameled, 18-in lengths Stem wrap tape: green ×2, white or brown ×1 (Parafilm or paper type) Cold floral adhesive (Oasis Floral Adhesive) ×1; a scrap of cardboard for dots Boutonniere pins, pearl-head, ×50; boutonniere magnets ×12 Corsage wristlets ×4; ribbon for bouquet wraps, 1.5-in and 3/8-in, in the nude/flax family Small sharp scissors; lidded containers for hydration boxes ×4, labeled by name; paper towels Cake-flower box: food-safe picks or straws, tape, a label with the stem list for the baker
Setup and strike kit (goes in the car)
Where to buy supplies Floral supply online: Jamali Garden, Afloral, Save-On-Crafts, Floral Supply Syndicate, Oasis/Smithers products through any of them, FloraLife and Chrysal products via Amazon or florist suppliers. Chicken wire, zip ties, buckets and a drill: hardware store. Buckets in bulk: restaurant supply or a bakery's used frosting buckets. Second fridge: ask the family, or rent.