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How to keep cut flowers fresh in a vase


How Florists Keep Flowers Alive Longer

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Written by Carlos Franco

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Written by Carlos Franco

Extend the life of your flowers with these tips

It doesn't matter whether you’re growing flowers in your garden or purchasing your flowers from a flower retailer we want to help you make your flowers last. We compiled a short article detailing how florists keep flowers alive longer. These simple and easy tips will help you preserve your flowers so they last longer and extend the happiness they bring into your life and home. At Green Fresh Florals + Plants, we pride ourselves in delivering the freshest cut flowers to maximize the life of your arrangement and the joy our flowers bring into your world.

Here are the tricks we share with our customers so they can extend the life of their cut flowers. Some of you may already know and use all of these tricks; some may be new. Either way, I hope you find them helpful in keeping cut flowers alive longer.

1. Always cut the stems before placing in water

If you purchase your flowers, you should always cut the stems before putting them in water.  If you are buying an arrangement from a professional florist, they should already be cut, and your flowers will be good for a few days. However,  it’s still important to clip the stems after a few days to allow fresh water to penetrate the flower's stem. It also is helpful to replace the water every couple of days.

2. Cut back or remove the extra leaves

Before you place your cut flowers in a vase, take some time to remove any extra leaves at the base of the stem if the leaves would likely rest under the waterline of the container. Eliminating the foliage will decrease any bacteria in the water, helping keep the water clean and free of foul odors. This will also allow the focus of the bloom on the flowers, enabling them to stay fresh longer. Pruning fresh flowers and removing leaves is a regular part of our daily flower care at Green.  

3. Choose the right size vase or container

Picking the correct vase size is an essential element in the life of your cut flower arrangement. Our trained florists can help you choose the right vase or container size to ensure that the clipped stems fit nicely into the opening or mouth. If the opening is too narrow, the flower stems might look cramped or squished so either remove some of the flower stems to create a smaller bunch or find a larger vase to utilize. In the opposite direction, If the mouth of your vase is too wide, the arrangement will not have any form or shape. If you're not sure, ask one of our friendly florists to help you decide from the many options we have available online or in our Hillcrest shop. Some work best for short and stocky arrangements, while others are better for tall and showy designs. Our team can help you make the right choice.

One option that often scares beginners is using a low vase such as a cube or small bowl because it requires a significant trim to the length of the flower stems. To make the flowers fit you will need to cut the stems down which can cause some anxiety for those just learning.

If you are trying to get your flowers to open up, substitute warm water for cold water. The warm temperature will help facilitate the opening of the bloom. After they open, you will want to use cold water when you replace the water.


4.

Change the water every two days

Fresh, clean water will keep your cut flowers alive longer. Remove the flowers from the vase every two or three days, rinse the vase out, and fill it with fresh water. If you have dying foliage, be sure to remove it.

Placing your arrangement in the fridge overnight will also help extend your flower's life. While this may be a challenge depending on the size of the arrangement, it is a nifty trick that will do wonders for your flower's life, especially in the summertime.

5. Remove dying flowers

Everything has a season, and there will be a time when some of your flowers will start to fade and turn dark. After several days, you may notice some individual flowers begin to wilt or die.

To continue to enjoy your blooming flowers remove the dead or dying blooms as they detract from the beauty and will begin to grow mold and contaminate the healthy flowers. This will keep your arrangement looking fresh longer.

6. Place your arrangement in the best location

Keeping your cut flowers in the right place can directly impact the life of the flowers. Placing your arrangement in a shaded, cool area that receives indirect sunlight helps preserve the blooms as opposed to bright, direct sunlight and heat. Remember, cooler is better with the exception of tropical blooms which prefer the heat and humidity (like orchids).

One additional tip: If your flowers arrive with a small packet of flower "food,” be sure to use it. While the ingredients vary depending on the manufacturer, most contain sugar to feed the flowers, acid to maintain the pH levels of the water, and a bit of bleach to reduce the bacteria and fungi in the vase water. All three help extend the life of the flowers.

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How to keep flowers fresh in a vase – 7 tips to remember

(Image credit: Brent Darby)

We all have reasons for wondering how to keep flowers fresh in a vase. Whether you want to prolong peony season for that little bit longer – or you want to extend the lifespan of your roses from a special day. Whatever the reason, the solutions remain the same. And it starts with the placement of your vase (and, maybe surprisingly, your fruit bowl. 

Keeping your best indoor plants healthy comes down to several factors: from the water you use to the vase's placement in the kitchen...

How to keep flowers fresh in a vase – 7 mistakes to avoid for healthier blooms 

Here, top florists share the most common mistakes to avoid – and solutions – for healthy blooms that will make a statement for longer.

1. Placing flowers next to a fruit bowl

(Image credit: Hattie Lloyd Home)

According to Interflora Florist Vicky Wilson, your fruit bowl could be one of the main reasons why your flowers are wilting so quickly. This is because many fruits, including apples, bananas, and tomatoes, all produce high levels of ethylene, a gas that interferes with the production of ethylene in flowers. In turn, this speeds up signs of aging and shortens their life.

'Avoid keeping your flowers next to the fruit bowl,' revealed Bethany Day from Interflora, who re-emphasizes the effects of ethylene on your plant, 'Fruits release gasses that make flowers fade fast. Strange but true!'

If you love the look of fruit and flora together in the kitchen then fear not. Decorating with dried flowers is a great option in this space, as these blooms will not wilt in the presence of your favorite fruit. 

2. Choosing the wrong shaped vase

(Image credit: Brent Darby)

Decorating with vases is one way to lift your space and fill a corner with color. However, it is important to remember to keep things practical as well as good-looking. If you opt for the wrong size or shape (no matter its aesthetic), your flowers will not have enough breathing space, and this can limit their lifespan. 

'If the vase is too narrow, the stems might get squished. Damaged stems equate to a short vase life,' Vicky says. 'If the mouth of your vase is too wide, the arrangement will lose all shape. A pro-tip is to ensure that the stems fit nicely into the mouth of the vase'. 

3. Forgetting to trim the stems

(Image credit: Future/Simon Brown)

Flowers use capillary action to bring the vase water up to the blooms, and simply cutting the stems shorter will make it easier for them to collect the water. 

And, if they've been sitting in a bucket at the florists for a while, it might be that their stems have become damaged at the bottom – cutting them off by a couple of inches will create a fresh opening for water to rise through. Cut the stems at an angle and under water then pop them straight into the vase of water for best results. 

4. Not removing the leaves

(Image credit: Vanrenen GW Designs)

Leaves that sit in water rot, and this rot will cause bacteria to flourish, which will in turn damage the blooms over time. It's best to snip off leaves that will sit below the water line before you put them in the vase.

'Remove any leaves from the bottom of the stem before putting it into a vase of water,' adds landscaper Melody Estes from The Project Girl . 'This will keep your flowers looking fresh longer, as water and nutrients can't reach the leaves without being filtered through them first.'

5. Using the wrong water

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

According to Melody, it is important to avoid using tap water when nourishing your plants. This is because tap water often contains chlorine which is bad for cut blooms and the best fragrant flowers alike. However, the process begins even before you put the water in the vase. 

The first thing to check is that your vase is clean – washing it out with warm water and dish soap before you fill it will again minimize bacteria. The experts suggest using filtered water that is lukewarm and letting the water sit a while as you cut the flower stems. This will help with water absorption – and keep your flowers fresh for longer.  

And, if you really want to keep flowers fresh in a vase for as long as possible, you need to change the water every day.

6. Forgetting to feed your flowers

(Image credit: Future / Polly Eltes)

Flower food, often supplied taped to the stems, isn't just about nourishing your flowers – it also contains antimicrobial ingredients that will inhibit the growth of bacteria to keep the water clean, and citric acid, which helps make the water acidic, which in turn keeps the flowers healthy. 

7. Putting your flowers in the window

(Image credit: Brent Darby)

A sunny windowsill or hot living room may be where you really want to show off your flowers, but it will make them decay faster. 

'It’s not a good idea to place your bouquet in direct sunlight, or in a very warm area of your house such as near radiators – they certainly won’t thank you for it,' cautions  Hannah Sanderson, the founder of Native Roots Flowers . Instead, she suggests placing cut flowers in a cool area of the house to ensure the longest vase life.

Megan is the News and Trends Editor at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes. As the News Editor, she often focuses on emerging microtrends, sleep and wellbeing stories, and celebrity-focused pieces. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants. 

How to keep cut flowers longer?

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A gifted flower arrangement can please the hostess if properly cared for. Cut flowers experience some stress after we deprive them of their natural source of moisture and nutrition, so it is important to provide them with comfortable conditions. More often, plants wither due to lack of water or a decrease in sugars. This usually happens if the vessels of the plant are clogged with air bubbles.

To prevent such a nuisance, it is important to cut the stem correctly before placing the flowers in water. There are still a lot of nuances, having familiarized with which even a non-professional florist will know - how to keep cut flowers fresh for a long time?

How to properly prepare flowers?

Caring for cut flowers requires care and knowledge. Before putting flowers in a vase, they need to be prepared. The presented bouquet will have fresh and correct cuts. To refresh them, just hold them under running cold water. Pay attention to the bottom of the bouquet - remove the lower leaves from the stem. If the composition is made up of flowers with a soft stem, the cut should be long and oblique, and in the case of a hard stem, a more even cut is made. To preserve the fresh aroma, the flowers are sprayed with cold water from a spray bottle. Also, florists recommend crushing the bottom of the stem (about 2 cm) with a hammer - this will increase the moisture absorption surface and allow the flowers to delight you with their beauty for a longer period. If you are doing everything right and cannot understand why cut flowers still wither, pay attention to the following recommendation.

Don't forget to feed. Depending on the flower, a special top dressing is added to the vase with water - useful vitamins, which also affect the "service life" of the donated plant.

Water disinfection

Spring water does not flow in the taps, it would be unreasonable to put a fresh bouquet in it. Let's analyze the question of how to keep fresh flowers longer with the help of water purification. No need to use expensive filters and special chemicals. Boil running water and cool it - this will save it from harmful substances. You can go the opposite way by turning the liquid into ice - melt water is good for plants. You can disinfect water with a piece of charcoal - just put it in the bottom of a vase and it will do its job. Florists can afford to add one drop of whiteness or any detergent - this will stop the growth of bacteria in the water.

Flower dressing

Next, let's look at how to prolong the life of cut flowers with the power of special dressings.

Where to put the bouquet?

Finding a location is very important if you want to know how to keep your cut flowers fresh.

How to care for cut flowers?

To summarize, we have outlined the principles for caring for cut flowers:

By following simple rules, you can keep a fragrant composition for 1-2 weeks. Some flowers, with proper care, can please you for more than 20 days! Therefore, armed with knowledge, you can easily achieve the desired result!

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How to keep cut flowers fresh? Secrets of durability of bouquets | Plants

Unfortunately, they fade quickly. The art of extending the life of flowers placed in a vase is available to everyone, but for this you need to know and follow some rules.

1. Select the cutoff time. You can not cut and pluck plants in the hot time of the day. It is best to do this in the morning, in the afternoon - only in cloudy weather. It turns out that flowers, like living beings, “get tired” during the day and especially in the evening. In hot weather, they get very hot and evaporate a lot of water, the least amount of nutritious juices come from the roots, so the flowers will quickly wither in a bouquet. During the night, the plants rest, are saturated with moisture, and with the sunrise they replenish the reserves of nutrients necessary for life, thus, the plants are most viable in the morning.

2. Consider the development of colors. The cut flower continues to breathe and grow, but is deprived of root nutrition. If the flower is fully developed, then it will quickly fade, if it is not yet sufficiently developed, it will not open. Each crop has its own optimal moment for cutting:

daffodils, tulips - colored bud stage;
poppies, bathing suits - buds are ready to bloom;
roses - sepals on buds are bent;
peonies - buds at the beginning of dissolution, loose;
irises - the first (lower) flower has blossomed;
gladioli - two lower flowers opened;
delphiniums, astilbe, lupins, snapdragons - inflorescences have blossomed about 1/3;
lilacs, marigolds, asters, daisies, cannes - inflorescences have blossomed half;
chrysanthemums, dahlias, zinnias and other strongly double and large plants - almost in full bloom.

3. Cut plants with a sharp knife. Try to keep the cut oblique - this will increase the suction surface.

4. Choose flowers for a bouquet. When choosing flowers for a bouquet, you need to know that not all plants get along with each other. Primroses, lilies of the valley, carnations are dangerous for others. They must be installed separately. Fragrant night violet, daffodils, roses, lilies, tulips also require their own dishes.

5. Treat flowers after cutting. Before putting the bouquet in a vase, cut off the lower leaves, as they quickly rot in water, remove the thorns from roses, anthers from lilies so that pollen does not stain the petals, shorten the stems by 2-3 cm. The shorter the stems, the better the flowers are supplied with water. If the plant produces a milky sap, soak the cut in very hot water for a few seconds.

In lilacs, roses, jasmine, silver acacia (the so-called mimosa), the ends of the stems are split by 3-5 cm with a knife or smashed with a hammer.
In some plants with soft peduncles (cyclamen, marigolds, callas, daffodils, etc.), it is recommended to make 1-2 longitudinal cuts on the stem at the bottom.
Peonies, lilacs often wither quickly due to intense evaporation of moisture from the leaves. Therefore, it is better to cut the leaves, and then put them, if you need to add greenery, with the same bouquet.

6. Feed your plants. Top dressing will help prolong the life of cut flowers. The most accessible source of it is sugar. Asters, chrysanthemums and other flowers in sweetened replaceable water can withstand 1.5-2 months well.

A little boric acid or potassium permanganate can be added for disinfection.
Dahlias, callas and roses respond positively to the introduction of a small amount of table salt, and lilacs, petunias, clematis - a few drops of alcohol.
Effective microorganisms in the form of EM preparations prolong the life of the bouquet at a concentration of 1:1000 (1 ml of the preparation per 1 liter of water).

7. Take care of the bouquet. Caring for a bouquet consists of changing the water, washing the stems, and updating the cuts. If necessary, rinse the vase and disinfect it with potassium permanganate.

To prolong the life of a bouquet, you can put it in a bucket for 2-3 hours to the very heads, roses, except for white ones, can be immersed in water entirely.

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