How to Prolong the Life of Cut Flowers
Fresh flowers are a beautiful way to add a touch of color and brightness to your home, but their beauty does not last for long once they are cut. It can be disappointing to have your flowers die in a few days. Whether you have received flowers as a gift or cut them from your own garden, advance preparation and proper care will help make your floral arrangements stay fresh longer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Scissors
- Vase
- Water
- Commercial flower food (optional)
- Bleach (optional)
- Sugar (optional)
Instructions
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Submerge the flower stems in a bowl of water or hold them under a running tap.
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2
Cut 1 inch off the end of each stem with sharp scissors. According to Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County, the water keeps the insides of the stems free of air, which helps your flowers get enough to drink.
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3
Fill a clean vase about half full with tap water.
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Pour the contents of one packet of commercial flower food into the water. Alternatively, stir 1/4 tsp. of bleach and 1 tbsp. of sugar into the water. This helps keep the water free of bacteria.
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5
Remove any leaves that fall below the water line. Submerged leaves promote bacterial growth in the water, according to HGTV.
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Place the flowers in a cool area away from direct sunlight. You can also put your flowers in the refrigerator overnight to keep them fresh. According to Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County, heat makes flowers wilt faster.
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Change the water every one to two days and add more flower food or sugar-and-bleach mixture each time you change the water.
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Tips & Warnings
Remove flowers as they wilt or die to avoid impacting the others in the arrangement. Move the remaining healthy flowers to a smaller vase or container as others start to wilt.
Keep flowers away from fruit. According to HGTV, the ethylene that some fruits emit causes flowers to die faster.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit vase of flowers image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com
