How to Extend the Life of Cut Flowers

Everyone loves beautiful floral arrangements, they brighten up any room, but the challenge has always been how to make flowers last as long as possible. Follow these steps to lengthen the life of your floral arrangements and cut flowers.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vase
• Bucket (or second vase)
• Scissors
• Water
• Floral preservative (you can purchase at a flower shop or you can make your own with: 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 quarter teaspoon bleach and 9 parts water)

1. Remove the lower third of any foliage on your flowers and greens.

2. Cut 2 inches off the bottom of each stem, cutting at an angle. If you cut underwater, it will prevent air bubbles from getting into the stems.

3. Add luke-warm water and floral preservative to the bucket or extra vase. Condition the flowers by submurging them about three-quarters underwater, or just below the flower heads.

4. The conditioning flowers should then be stored in a cool, dark place for at least 3 hours. Conditioning will help with the uptake of water to prevent early dehydration of your cut flowers.

5. Mix room-temperature water and floral preservative in your vase.

6. Take the flowers and recut the bottoms (underwater and at an angle) to your desired length for arrangement.

7. Arrange in vase however you like. Make sure to check water level regularly, the cut flowers will last longer if the water is always three-quarters full.

8. You may continue to freshen with new water and floral preservative and recut the stems frequently to extend flower life even longer.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to use clean containers and scissors to prevent bacteria from growing and harming the flowers.
• Keep your arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from heat to keep fresh.
• Make sure you purchase flowers from a quality source to make sure your flowers are fresh and healthy.