So you’ve just received a beautiful bouquet of flowers and can’t wait to put them on display in your home, but have you given any thought as to how to properly take of your flowers in order to make sure they last as long as possible? If you answered no, then you’re in luck! Here are the best tips for keeping your new flowers at their healthiest and most beautiful for as long a time as possible.
Cut their Stems
When you receive flowers, it’s a good idea to snip their stems about half an inch before putting them in water for the first time. Why? Because during the time your flowers were out of water, it’s more than likely that air was drawn into the stems and is now blocking water absorption. Cutting the stems above these air bubbles will ensure your flowers start absorbing new water immediately. Be sure to place the flowers in water immediately after cutting the stems.
Get the Water Temperature Right
For most flower types, placing them in room temperature water is ideal. If the water is too hot, your flowers’ stems will be cooked, and only a few flower types such as tulips, anemones, and daffodils do better in colder water. If you’d like your flowers to bloom as quickly as possible, then you should place them in warmer water, but this will of course cause them to die sooner.
Change the Water Regularly
To extend your flowers’ lifespan, make sure to regularly change the water in their vase. Leaving the same water in the vase for too long will create the perfect conditions for bacteria to grow and thrive. This bacteria is going to be harmful to your flowers, so stop it from growing in the first place by keeping water clean and fresh.
Watch for Foliage below Water
Any leaves or flower petals that have sunk to the bottom of your vase or are floating at the top are going to rot quickly and create more of that troublesome bacteria that’s out to get your flowers. You can prevent this from happening by removing the foliage in the water as soon as you discover it.
Keep them Nice and Cool
Placing your flowers in too hot a room or near heating vents and other sources of heat is a sure fire way to shorten their lifespan. Try to keep them in a cooler spot and avoid placing them in direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
Make some Flower Food
You may be surprised to learn that you can make your own flower food using a number of different household products. Small amounts of clear soda, such as 7-Up or Sprite can supply your flowers with sugar, adding a few drops of bleach or a clear spirit such as vodka or gin to your flowers’ water can help to fight bacterial growth, and crushing a vitamin C tablet and adding it to the water can work to lower pH levels.
With these tips, your flowers are sure to stay healthy and beautiful for much longer, give them a try today!