If you love fresh-cut flowers in your home but are sad at how quickly they seem to wilt once they leave the florist’s temperature-controlled environment, you’re in luck.
With a few simple tips and a bit of TLC, you can keep your cut flowers looking fresher and enjoy your beautiful bouquet for days, possibly a week, or more.
Why do fresh flowers die so quickly?
The three main reasons that will cause your flower display to deteriorate are heat, bacteria, and a lack of moisture.
By keeping these things in check, you can prevent your flowers from wilting and help extend the life of your blooms.
Pick fresh bouquets
Start with fresh flowers. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s the most essential step. When selecting flowers, check the flower stems for any signs of breakage, wilting or browning.
When choosing flowers for a bouquet, many people opt for those with open petals. While these blooms may look pretty, they will only last for a short time as those with closed petals.
TIP 1 – Choosing flowers with closed petals will give them a long time to bloom.
The extra time spent in the vase will allow the flower to fully bloom, giving you a longer-lasting bouquet.
Flowers such as lilies and tulips are excellent choices for a closed-petal arrangement. Not only will closed-petaled flowers last longer, but they’ll also look fresher.
Since they haven’t been exposed to as much light and air, their petals will be less likely to wilt or fade.
Choose a spacious clean vase
Once you return home, choose the right size vase for your blooms.
To find the perfect vase size, start by measuring the length of your blooms. Cut the stems, so they’re about 2 inches shorter than the height of the vase.
Then, fill the vase with water until it reaches just below the bloom line. This will give your flowers plenty of room to drink without overcrowding them.
If you need help deciding what size vase to choose, err on the side of a larger one. It’s better to have too much space than too little, as cramped flowers will start to wilt more quickly.
If you use green oasis, floral foam, or other items to heighten or prop up your flower arrangement or any other decorative items in your vase, such as pebbles, please remember to thoroughly clean these items in warm soapy water.
TIP 2 – A glass vase is beautiful but less forgiving as it will show how clear or murky your water is. Consider a solid-coloured or opaque vase if you cannot change the water in the vase often.
Trim flower stems
Trim flower stems at a 90-degree angle with sharp, clean scissors or shears at an appropriate length for the height of the vase before adding them to the water.
This will help them absorb more water and stay hydrated for longer.
Trim surplus leaves
Removing leaves falling below the water line is essential when arranging cut flowers.
This will create a clean look and prevent leaves from rotting and contaminating the water.
Waterlogged leaves not only discolour the water but also cause odour, so it’s best to remove them before they have a chance.
Cool water is best
Use fresh, clean, cool water when caring for your cut flowers.
If you have closed blooms such as lilies or tulips, you may choose slightly warm water if you wish to encourage petals to open faster.
Fill the flower vase about halfway to three-quarters full. Always check the water level in the vase daily and top it off as needed.
Use Flower Food
Keep the water fresh and clean by adding flower food to your flowers. If flower food is not provided, you can easily find this at your local florist, garden centre or online.
Alternatively, if you do not have flower food to hand, add a couple of teaspoons of sugar and a couple of teaspoons of either bleach, white vinegar or a soluble aspirin to the water.
TIP 3 – You may even add a single copper coin.
The sugar will nourish your flowers, and the bleach, white vinegar, aspirin or copper coin at the bottom of the vase will act as a fungicide and help prevent the growth of bacteria in the vase.
Arrange your flowers in the vase, ensuring they are manageable. If the flowers are too tightly packed, they will not be able to get the water and nutrients they need and will start to wilt quickly.
To avoid this, take a few moments to arrange your flowers in the vase to have some space around them.
Choose a cool spot
If possible, try to keep flowers out of direct sunlight and extreme heat and place them in a cool or shaded spot.
TIP 4 – If you have a small arrangement, bouquet or buttonhole for a special occasion, placing them in the fridge overnight may keep them fresh and cool. This is a great way to prolong the life of your flowers.
To do this, simply place your arrangement in a vase or container filled with water. Then, place the whole thing in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the flowers from the fridge in the morning and enjoy your beautiful flowers!
Refresh the water for 7-day plus blooms
Flowers love fresh water, so If you want to keep your flowers for a week or even longer, give them a water change every other day.
First, remove your flowers from the vase, carefully place them to one side and rinse the vase to remove any debris that may have accumulated at the bottom
Lightly rinse the flower stems and if you see any stems starting to wilt, go ahead and give them a fresh cut. Also, remove any browning leaves or petals. These can be unsightly and make your flowers look less new.
Each time you change the water, remember to refresh your flower food or whatever you choose to use as a flower food alternative.
To prevent your arrangement from drying out, you can also mist it lightly with water every few days.
As soon as the flowers start to lose their colour and petals begin to fall off, the flowers are done blooming, and it’s time to say goodbye.
So, if you want your cut flowers to last as long as possible, follow these simple tips and enjoy fresh-looking flowers for days on end.
