You've recently received a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers and you know that unfortunately they are not going to last forever. However, there are some things you can do to get the most out of your flowers and keep them looking fresh and healthy for as long as possible!
First things first! If your bouquet was hand wrapped and not arranged in a vase, you need to get them in water ASAP! Fresh cut flowers left out of water for too long rapidly increases the chance of your flowers wilting prematurely. Pro tip: if you are the one ordering the flowers and you know it will be awhile before they will be placed in water, ask your trusted local florist to put water tubes on the stems. Water tubes are very common and any local florist should have them or something similar to provide.
Now that we have covered hydration, next we will outline the additional steps you can take to keep your flowers fresh.
1. Remove Any Foliage (leaves, etc.) that will sit below the water line. Foliage when submerged underwater long enough will encourage bacterial growth in your water which if left unchanged long enough will cause your flowers to die.
2. Give Your Stems A Fresh Cut! Cutting the stems at a 45 degree angle every 2-3 days allows the flowers to optimally absorb water and maintain their freshness. Don't cut too much, only about an inch is just right. You might be wondering "Why a 45 degree angle?". The reason we recommend an angled cut on your stems is to prevent them from sitting flat on the bottom of your vase. The 45 degree angle creates space between the stem and the base allowing for optimal water absorption.
3. Location, Location, Location. Where you place your flowers can have a significant impact on their lifespan. We recommend placing your flowers in a shaded cool place that will receive indirect light. The cool temperature will help preserve the blooms. Additionally, we recommend that you don't put your flowers anywhere near fresh fruits or vegetables. Fruits and veggies put off a gas called ethylene that causes flowers to wilt prematurely.
4. Remove The Bad Apples. Despite your best efforts and the hard work of your trusted florist, most flower will begin to wilt after about a week. Once a flower has reached the end of its beautiful life the best thing we can do is remove it from the bunch before it begins to break down and contaminate the water resulting in the rest of your flowers following suit.
5. Clean Water. Wait i thought we covered hydration already? True. However, it is important to change the water in your vase every 2-3 days in addition to that fresh cut you give the stems. Additionally, adding 1/4 teaspoon of bleach for every quart of water in your vase has shown to prevent the growth of nasty flower killing bacteria. Less bacterial = longer life for your flowers.
6. Flower Food. Okay I know what you're thinking here. "Flowers don't eat! Thats not possible". So maybe they don't eat quite like you and I but there are special packets known as flower food. Depending on the manufacturer the ingredients vary but most contain sugar to feed the flowers, acid to balance the PH, and very small amounts of bleach to keep the water clean and prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. All three play factor into the overall lifespan of your flowers.
We hope these tips have been helpful!
Paul Davis Flower Shop is a local family owned flower shop located in Muncie, IN. Paul Davis Flower Shop has been proudly serving the Muncie community and surrounding areas with beautiful fresh flower arrangements, plants, and other gifts since 1945.
