How To Keep Cut Flowers Fresh

• Written by Funmilayo Labulo on November 22, 2021

Flowers bring color, beauty, and inspiration to every environment. Fresh-cut flowers are an easy presentation that can transform any area, whether you receive them from someone or buy them from your neighborhood florist, a grocery shop, a farmers market, or your garden. Their simple beauty can add elegance to any occasion.

Flower bouquets, unfortunately, do not last long. The first thing to remember is that some flowers live longer than others by nature. Flowers like daisies, freesia, lilies, roses, and sunflowers last longer than daffodils, hyacinths, lilacs, ranunculus, and tulips. These are known for wilting in a matter of days.

There are some rules and little-known strategies you can follow to ensure your flowers’ longevity. By taking the time to choose healthy flowers and arrange them carefully and with care, you may be able to extend their life.

How To Keep Cut Flowers Alive Longer

1. Preparing Your Flowers For The Vase

The following are some of the methods you can use to prepare your flowers for the vase:

• Remove the stems
• Remove any extra leaves
• Choose the appropriate vase
• Water wisely and change the water every few days
• Keep away from heat, direct sunlight, windows, and even fruit

Remove the stems

Trim 1-2 inches off the end of each steam before putting it in the water. The best tool for this job is garden shears, although kitchen scissors or a sharp, clean knife would suffice. Because the stems aren’t leveled against the bottom of the vase, they might take in more water if they’re cut at an angle. After the initial cut, experts recommend re-trimming your flowers every few days to ensure a fresh and clean stem.

Remove any extra leaves

Any leaves that fall below the waterline must be removed. It will not only improve the appearance of your bouquet but will also prevent bacterial growth.

Some flowers have guard petals, which are two or three outer petals. By removing these, your flower will be able to open up fully. To avoid bacterial rot, check your flowers regularly after the initial pruning for dead or loose leaves and petals.

This is especially significant in mixed bouquets that contain a variety of flower varieties with varying blooming periods.

Choose the appropriate vase

This may seem self-evident to some people, yet it makes a difference. Just because the florist gives you a bouquet of long-stemmed flowers doesn’t mean you should put them in a tall vase. Larger, heavier flowers should be trimmed short and positioned in a low vase where they can support or stretch out when they open, while lighter, more delicate flowers should be kept in a tall vase. Make sure the vase isn’t too full; if, in doubt, you may always make two bouquets from one.

Water wisely and change the water every few days

It’s essential not just to keep your flowers hydrated but also to do it carefully and wisely. Without water, your flowers will perish quickly, especially if the stems have been cut. Fill a clean vase with room temperature water and a packet of flower food. Make sure the flower food is thoroughly mixed, and the water is neither too diluted nor too concentrated.

Every few days, be sure to replace the water, clean the vase, and re-trim the stems.

Keep away heat, direct sunlight, windows, and even fruit

Flowers will live longer if you keep them in a cool area and keep them out of direct sunlight. Avoid putting them near high - or low-temperature items, such as air conditioners, computers, TVs, or stoves. Open windows will also cause them to dehydrate faster and keep them away from fresh fruit, which generates little amounts of gas that will shorten the life of your flowers.

2. The Use of Additives

People have been experimenting with numerous strategies to make flowers stay longer in addition to regular flower care. Consider adding coins, aspirin, or even vodka to your floral water as a home remedy.

Here are a few additives to help you keep cut flowers fresher for longer:

• Apple Cider Vinegar + Sugar
• Aspirin
• Bleach
• Coins
• Flower Food
• Fridge
• Soda
• Vodka

Apple Cider Vinegar Plus Sugar

Before you put the flowers in the vase, mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with two tablespoons of sugar. Sugar works as additional floral food, while vinegar acts as an antibacterial agent. To extend the life of your flowers, replace the water every few days (with more vinegar and sugar, of course).

Aspirin

It’s a tried-and-true method for keeping roses and other cut flowers fresh for longer periods. Before you put your flowers in the vase, crush in one aspirin. Aspirin is supposed to reduce the pH of the water, allowing it to pass through the flowers more quickly and prevent wilting.

Also, remember to change the water in the vase every few days.

Bleach

If you put a ¼ teaspoon of bleach in your vase of fresh flowers, they will last longer. Bleach will prevent your water from becoming cloudy and will also aid in the fight against bacteria.

Coins

Add a copper coin to your bouquet of fresh flowers. Copper should function as an acidifier, preventing the growth of germs in your arrangement.

Flower Food

Adding flower food to your vase of fresh flowers is a tried-and-true method of extending the life of your flowers.

Fridge

Before going to bed, place your flowers in the refrigerator (typically 8 hours per night.) Flowers are thought to flourish in cooler temperatures. Low temperatures are said to aid in the slowing of aging. This is believed to be the most effective method for extending the life of flowers.

Soda

In a vase full of fresh flowers, pour ¼ cup of soda. Soda’s sugar is said to extend the life of your flowers and make them smell sweeter.

The above strategies can make your cut flowers bloom more vibrantly and stay fresh for a few days longer. Now that you have suggestions to guarantee the freshness of your cut flowers, you can visit Top Flower Delivery to get the best of flowers delivered to you.

References
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How To Make Flowers Last Longer - rd.com

How to Make Flowers Last Longer: 9 Tricks - proflowers.com

How to keep fresh-cut flowers alive longer - businessinsider.com

keep-fresh-flowers-alive-longer - cdmercantile.com

Tried and Tested: How to Make Fresh Flowers Last Longer - gardenista.com

How to Make Cut Flowers Last Longer - treehugger.com