25 Jun 7 Tips For Keeping Your Flowers Fresh
Everybody loves fresh flowers. A bouquet of blooms can brighten up a space and make a long-lasting positive impression. Whether you’ve received flowers for graduation, a celebration gift, or simply purchased them to enjoy in the home – you’ll want to make sure they last as long as possible.
Unfortunately, flowers don’t last forever, but there are some things you can do to extend the life of your flowers. If you’ve wondered what to put flowers in to keep them fresh, here are some handy and easy tips.
-
Cut the stem
One of the most common mistakes people make when they bring home their bouquet is not cutting the stem. You can use scissors or garden shears to cut off one to two inches at an angle. Cutting at an angle allows for better water intake. Experts suggest re-trimming the stems every few days to keep them clean and fresh.
-
Prune the leaves
Remove any leaves below the waterline, as this prevents bacterial growth. Be sure to check your flowers daily, especially if your bouquet has a variety of flowers, as they may have different blooming times. For example, some flowers such as roses, have guard petals which are the outermost petals of the flower. Removing them allows your flowers to open up fully.
-
Change the water every few days
Put your flowers in a vase filled with room temperature water. If you’re adding extra ingredients into the water, like flower food, ensure it’s completely dissolved before placing your flowers into the vessel. To make your fresh flowers last longer, it helps to change the water and flower food, clean the vessel and re-trim the stems every few days.
-
Use the flower food packet
Bouquets often come with a pre-mixed packet of flower food. Using it is one of the simplest ways to keep your fresh flowers alive. Flower food contains three essential ingredients: carbohydrates (sugars), biocides (cleansing agents) and acidifiers.
These ingredients promote cell metabolism, combat bacteria, and adjust the pH (acidity) level of the water to increase its intake by the flowers. You should use a new packet each time you change the water in your vessel. So, try asking your florist for extra packets of flower food, or buy some extras.
-
Keep flowers away from heat, direct sunlight, windows, and fruit
Your flowers will survive a lot longer if they’re kept in a room with cooler, well-moderated temperatures. Keep them away from places where they will get hit by direct sunlight and appliances that generate high and low temperatures, such as stovetops, air conditioners, fans and even televisions. Also be sure to keep your flowers away from fruit, as it releases tiny amounts of ethylene gas, which can reduce the longevity of your bouquet of fresh flowers.
-
Store them in a refrigerator
Have you ever noticed that your florist keeps flowers in a large commercial fridge? That’s because it keeps flowers fresher for longer. If you’re going to try this method to extend the life of your fresh flowers, put them in the fridge each night. If you plan on gifting flowers in person and need to store them in your vehicle for after a date or event, leave them (carefully placed) in a chilly bag or cooler with a small, covered ice pack. This prevents wilting in a hot car.
-
Try some home remedies
There are various home remedies you can put in flowers to keep them fresh. For example, you can make your own plant food by mixing one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of bleach and two teaspoons of lemon or lime juice into 1 litre of water. Another way to keep flowers fresh for longer is to add a few drops of vodka to the water – this helps slow down the wilting process.
Hopefully these few handy tips can help you extend the lifespan of your fresh flowers, to enjoy their mood-lifting beauty for a bit longer.
Visit Scarecrow Florist for beautiful fresh flower bouquets and bespoke arrangements, perfect for all occasions.