How to Keep Cut Floral Arrangements Fresh
Fresh flowers brighten a room, whether you have a single daisy in a small vase or dozens of roses with all the trimmings. Floral arrangements have a limited lifespan, but you can help keep your flowers looking fresh and extend their life with proper care and maintenance. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Soak loose flowers in room temperature water and in a dimly lit location for several hours or overnight. This lets the plant tissue fill with water.
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Remove any leaves or thorns that will be underwater when you fill the vase.
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Prepare a floral preservative according to the package instructions using water between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill the vase with the prepared water. Refill the vase as necessary, and change the water when it becomes cloudy.
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Avoid overcrowding a vase. Too many flowers puts pressure on the stems and prevents them from absorbing water.
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Keep flower arrangements away from direct sunlight and drafts.
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Remove wilted flowers. If there are several flowers on the stem, clip out the wilted ones with hand pruners or scissors.
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Trim the bottom of the stems when they go limp or when the flowers droop. Limp stems usually means they aren’t taking up water. Hold the stems under water, and cut 1 or 2 inches from the bottom using hand pruners.
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Keep flower arrangements away from fresh fruit. The fruit emits a gas that shortens the life of your flower arrangement.
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Tips & Warnings
The small packet of floral preservative that comes with flower arrangements only makes about 1 qt. But you can make your own preservative by adding 1/2 tsp. of liquid bleach or citric acid to 1 gallon of water.
Use clean tools and vases when working with fresh flowers. Bacterial contamination shortens the life of flower arrangements.
References
- "Cutting Gardens"; Barbara Pleasant; 1997
- "Growing & Arranging Flowers"; Pamela Thomas; 1991
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
