There’s no better feeling than receiving a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Whether you receive them as a birthday present, thank you gift or even in a bridal arrangement, the mixture of colour, greenage and beautiful wrapping leaves a long lasting impression. Often, the first point of call once you get them home is to pop them straight in a vase full of water, but is that really the best way to ensure your blooms stay as vibrant as possible, for as long as possible?
Read on to find out 6 easy ways that you can help your flowers stay fresh for longer.
- Cut The Stems
This may seem like a no brainer, but you would be surprised at how many people forget this important step. Cutting the stems allows your flowers to take in water easier as the stem isn’t pushed flat against the bottom of the vase.Use a pair of gardening shears or a pair of sharp scissors to cut all of the stems on an angle. This can be done easily without needing to pull your bouquet apart, meaning that you can keep the arrangement the same way you received it. Trimming the stems every few days will help to keep them as fresh. - Prune Low Growing Leaves
Pruning leaves that fall below the water line will help to keep vase water fresh. Any bacteria that grows in the water will shorten the life of your flowers. Make sure you keep an eye on any leaves or petals that may have fallen into the water incase they start to rot. Refreshing the water every few days will help keep bacteria away. - Feed Your Blooms
How many people can put their hand up and admit that they throw away the little packet of flower food that is stuck somewhere on or within the bouquet wrapping? Most flower recipients can probably say they have done this at least once. Flower food is full of good nutrients that flowers need to live longer. Using this little packet of food will do your flowers wonders.Once you have selected your vase, make sure it is clean. Fill it with room temperature water and mix in the food solution, ensuring the water doesn’t dilute the flower food too much or that the flower food isn’t too concentrated. Check the packet of flower food for instructions as this will help you get the ratios correct. Ensure the food is thoroughly mixed in before you put the flowers in. Again, make sure you change the water and flower food solution every few days. - Find The Perfect Spot to Place Your Vase
Finding the right location to display your flowers can be a difficult task. You may already have a spot picked out where you can proudly display your blooms but
there are a few things to keep in mind when looking for the right position. Your flowers won’t last well in direct sunlight or near a heat source such as a stove top or small appliance like a toaster. This can cause the flowers to dry out and in some cases burn, especially during summer time when the summer sun is very strong. Open windows and drafts from air vents can also quicken the dehydration process. - Steer Clear of Fresh Fruit
While it may be tempting to arrange your flowers next to fresh fruit for an instagram worthy display, that is one of the worst things you could do if you want your blooms to last. Fruit releases ethylene gas as it ripens and unfortunately fresh cut flowers do not last long once exposed to the gas.If you need to take a quick pic for instagram, make sure you make it quick and seperate the two, because just like oil and water, they will never mix. - Put Your Flowers In The Fridge
While some may think this is madness, putting your flowers in the fridge each night will help to slow the aging process and in turn your flowers will stay bright and looking their best for much longer.Allow your flowers to chill out each night and reap the rewards each morning as you fall in love with your bouquet all over again.
Flower Flow Bonus Tip
Fresh cut blooms thrive on water and sugar. If you run out of flower food and need to change the water, add some sprite or lemonade to the next lot of fresh water. Add ¼ cup of lemonade to the water and give it a good stir. The flowers will love the sweetness from the soft drink, giving them the energy to keep looking their best.
There you have it! 6 super easy steps to help increase the lifespan of your bouquet. Fresh flowers help to add a sense of happiness and calm to any room. The team at Flower Flow have stunning fresh flowers and are available to help you pick the perfect bunch for any occasion.
Contact us today to learn more about our range of fresh flowers.
