How to Keep a Carnation Flower Alive

Keep cut carnations out of direct sunlight.

The carnation is said to represent pride and beauty. Carnations are available in any color; some colors occur naturally, while other carnations are dyed to meet specific needs. The large variety of color choices and long cut life of the carnation makes it a popular choice for bouquets. With proper care, a cut carnation will last two weeks or longer in a vase, almost a week longer than the average life of a cut rose, according to the University of Illinois Extension.

Things You'll Need

• Vase
• Soap
• Bleach
• Lemon-lime soda
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Clean out the vase with soap and water. Bacteria left in the vase can cause the carnation to wilt prematurely.

2. Pour 1 cap of bleach into the vase. This will kill any bacteria you missed while cleaning.

3. Pour 1 can of lemon-lime soda into the vase. Fill the empty can with warm water and pour the water into the vase and soda. The combination of lemon-lime soda, bleach and water will act as a floral preservative for the carnation.

4. Remove any leaves from the stem of the carnation that are below the water in the vase. Cut the leaves with scissors or pull them off.

5. Hold the stem of the carnation under the water in the vase. Cut 1 inch off the bottom of the stem with the scissors. If the vase is too narrow to cut the stem in, use a separate bowl of warm water to cut the stem.

6. Place your carnations out of any direct sunlight. Put the carnations and vase inside your refrigerator at night.

Tips & Warnings

• Changing the water every two or three days will keep your carnations alive longer.

• A commercial floral preservative can replace the lemon-lime soda and bleach mixture.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Cut Flower Care
• Colorado State University Cooperative Extension: Keep Valentine's Day Flowers Alive Longer

Resources

• University of Illinois Extension: Florigraphy