How to keep flowers fresh in a vase
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 Make Flowers Last Longer: 9 Tricks
Flowers are a common gift for any of life’s special occasions and even the moments in between. A bouquet of bright blooms can bring cheer to any space and leave a lasting impression, even after they’re gone. Whether you’ve received an anniversary arrangement, a graduation bouquet or picked out a gorgeous bunch for the coffee table, you’ll want to enjoy them for as long as possible.
The sad truth is that flower bouquets don’t last forever. On the bright side, there are guidelines and little known tips you can use to ensure the longevity of your flowers. We are uncovering everything you need to know about how to make flowers last longer and even putting a few theories to the test.
Flower Care Tips
The first step to making your flowers stay fresh longer is by following a few flower care guidelines. Use the tips below to to extend the life of your blooms from the start.
Cut the Stems One of the most common mistakes people make after receiving flowers is forgetting to cut the stems. Use garden shears to trim one to two inches off and cut at an angle. Cutting the stems at an angle allows for better water intake since they aren’t sitting flat on the bottom of a vase. After the initial cut, be sure to re-trim your bouquet once every few days.
Prune Remove any leaves below the water line. It will not only make your bouquet look better, but also prevent bacterial growth. Some flowers, like roses, have guard petals which are the two or three outermost petals of the flower. Removing these will allow your flower to open up fully. After your initial pruning, you should check your flowers daily for dead or loose leaves and petals in order to avoid bacterial rot.
Water Wisely It’s not only important to get your bouquet hydrated, but to do so wisely. Your flowers won’t last long without water, especially once their stems have been cut. After picking out a clean vase, fill it with room temperature water and add in a packet of flower food. Make sure that the packet has been properly mixed and that the water is not too diluted or too concentrated. It’s also important to clean your vase thoroughly and change out the water and flower food every two to three days.
Avoid Direct Sunlight, Heat, Drafts and Fruit Your flowers will last longer in a room with cool temperatures. Avoid displaying them in direct sunlight or near appliances that generate heat. You’ll also want to avoid areas like open windows, heating or cooling vents and ceiling fans as they can cause the flowers to quickly dehydrate. You also shouldn’t display your bouquet near fruit. That’s right, ripening fruits release tiny amounts of ethylene gas which can reduce the longevity of your fresh arrangement.
In addition to general care, people have also been experimenting with different ways to make flowers last longer. Think household remedies like adding pennies, aspirin and even vodka to your flower water.
9 Interesting ways to Make Flowers Last Longer
There’s no need to keep asking yourself how to make flowers last longer. Surprisingly, you might have a few things lying around the house that can help you enjoy your bouquets. Check out the interesting list of household remedies below:
Sure these theories sound convincing, but which ones actually improve the life of your bouquets?
We were curious too, so we put a few flower care strategies to the test. We took the nine most popular theories for how to make flowers last longer in a controlled environment, here’s what we found out.
The Setup
We started with nine of the same ProFlowers bouquets. In each vase, we added one ProFlowers flower food packet and lukewarm water. Then each of the vases received one of the following flower care tricks and there was one control vase that received no treatment. On day three, we changed out the water, cleaned the vase and added the same ingredients back in.
Check out what each of these tricks claim to do, how to make the concoctions yourself and what happened over the next seven days below:
Apple Cider Vinegar and Sugar: Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water into a vase before adding your flowers. Vinegar acts as an antibacterial agent while the sugar acts as additional flower food. Although apple cider vinegar and sugar didn’t take the title as the worst result, it did come in a close second.
Aspirin: Mix 1 crushed aspirin into your vase of fresh flowers. Aspirin is said to lower the pH level of the water allowing it to travel through the flower faster, preventing wilting. Aspirin might be the solution to a head ache, but it’s not your best bet for keeping your flowers fresh.
Bleach: Add ¼ teaspoon of bleach to your vase of fresh flowers and they should stay fresh longer, at least that’s what they say. Bleach will keep your water from getting cloudy as well as help fight bacteria. The bleach did indeed keep the water in the vase from getting too cloudy although, it didn’t stand out in keeping the bouquet fresh.
Coins: Add a copper penny to your fresh bouquet. The copper should act as an acidifier, fighting the bacteria growth in your arrangement. On Day 4, the blooms with the copper penny opened up nicely. In fact, it may have caused the flowers to open too quickly resulting in a few wilting flowers by day 7.
Flower Food: Adding flower food to your vase of fresh flowers is a tried and true way to keep your blooms fresh longer. Each of our tested bouquets also received a packet of flower food along with their treatment.
Fridge: Put your bouquet in the fridge every night before bed (typically 8 hours per night.) Flowers are said to thrive in cooler temperatures. It is thought that the low temps help slow the aging. Looks like floral bouquets like to stay nice and cool. The bouquet that went in the fridge overnight came in first place and is the best way to make flowers last longer. This bouquet was looking healthy even on day 10.
Hair Spray: Spritz your fresh blooms with hairspray. There’s not much science to back this theory, but it holds your hair in place so it should work, right? Wrong. Whatever home remedy you decide to try to keep your flowers alive, it should not be spritzing the petals with hairspray. We recommend avoiding doing so at all costs. The hairspray came in last place being the worst way to make flowers last longer.
Soda: Pour ¼ cup of soda in a vase full of fresh flowers. The sugar in soda is said to make your blooms last longer and even smelling sweeter too. Looks like flowers enjoy some extra sweetness, the soda came in as our runner up trick to making flowers last longer. In fact, even on day 10 the soda bouquet was looking just as healthy as day 1 with the only difference being the flowers opening up more.
Vodka: Add a few drops of vodka (or any clear spirit) to your vase of flowers. Vodka is said to have a different effect on flowers. The spirit’s ability to inhibit ethylene production, a ripening gas that helps plants mature, slows the wilting of the flowers. This proved true and although vodka didn’t take the cake as the best way to keep flowers fresh longer, it did come in as third runner up.
The results are in! Ever wonder why florists keep their bouquets in the fridge? Well, now you know…
Looks like making sure your flowers are nice and chill is the best way to keep them fresh longer. You can also try adding a little lemon-lime soda to your water mixture. On the other hand, just because a spritz of hairspray will keep your hair in place doesn’t mean it will keep your bouquet of flowers fresh. In fact, we recommend avoiding the hairspray method altogether.
Now that you have some extra tricks up your sleeve for ensuring the longevity of your bouquets, you should try one out yourself! Browse our collection of same day flower delivery and find the perfect bouquet for any celebration or surprise someone with flowers for no reason at all!
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Please Note: The bouquet pictured reflects our original design for this product. While we always try to follow the color palette, we may replace stems to deliver the freshest bouquet possible, and we may sometimes need to use a different vase.
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Please Note: The bouquet pictured reflects our original design for this product. While we always try to follow the color palette, we may replace stems to deliver the freshest bouquet possible, and we may sometimes need to use a different vase.
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There is something about the shade of blue that brings a sense of calmness and serenity. Our Beyond Blue bouquet is designed with billowing white blooms and pops of bold florals to deliver just the right sentiment for any reason.
Please Note: The bouquet pictured reflects our original design for this product. While we always try to follow the color palette, we may replace stems to deliver the freshest bouquet possible, and we may sometimes need to use a different vase.
What to add to water to make flowers last longer in a vase
Why do flowers fade quickly?
The main reason is the lack of familiar environment. Cut stems are deprived of nutrition, which was carried out by obtaining the necessary substances by the root system, as well as moisture from the soil. Just water in a vase is not enough for a full life.
You may have already noticed that some bouquets stay fresh much longer than others. It also depends on the type of plant, but to a greater extent - on the conscientiousness of the florist who made you a bouquet. It could be collected from stale, frozen flowers, or it just stood in the store for a long time.
Flowers fade quickly also because they are not cared for properly. To keep the flowers in the vase longer, you need to change the water frequently. In this case, you need to put the bouquet in the shade, avoiding sunlight.
How to properly prepare a bouquet before placing it in a vase?
Preliminary preparation is necessary in order for the flowers to stand in the water for a long time. First, take apart the bouquet. Cut off each stem about 1-2 cm in length.
Please note that the cutting angle can be any. But we advise sticking to 45-50°.
Now dip the cut sections in lukewarm water. Wait for bubbles to appear.
Choose a container with a neck suitable for the size of the bouquet. It should not pinch the stems. Flowers need "freedom".
The vase must be clean. Do not neglect this point. After cleaning, fill a vase with cool water and place the prepared plants.
How to make a bouquet last longer in a vase
The first and basic rule is to use high-quality water. What kind of water is needed for flowers? Rain or melt is preferred. If there is nowhere to take it, then the most ordinary filtered one will do, but it has settled for a couple of hours, and preferably all night. To soften the water, add a little citric acid.
Spare no water. Pour enough so that it reaches the middle of the stems.
What else is needed to make the flowers stand for a long time? We have already mentioned that before placing the bouquet in a vase, it is necessary to cut off the lower parts of the stems. It is recommended to do this regularly (1 time per day). Through a fresh cut, the plants will be better saturated with moisture. Also remove the leaves/needles from the bottom.
What to add to flowers to make them last longer
To make flowers last longer, special preservatives are added to the water. Most of the products that prolong the life of plants can be found at home:
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Activated carbon. You only need 2 tablets. Turn them into powder, pour it into water, wait until it dissolves completely.
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Vodka. The bouquet must be placed in a special solution made from water and vodka. For 1 liter of liquid, you need 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol-containing tincture or vodka.
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Ammonium chloride. It is enough to drip 2-3 drops.
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Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). Add a couple of crystals to the vase, mix.
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Bleach. Put 1-2 drops of Domestos Universal Gel into the water.
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Acetylsalicylic acid. 1 tablet per vase will be enough. Unravel it first.
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Sugar. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar / sand into the settled water, mix.
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Carbonated drink. It is better if it is colorless. On a vase you need to take 0.25 cups of soda.
Each product for flowers, in order for them to stand 100% long, requires the correct dosage. Follow the proportions described above and do not overdo it with the amount of ingredients.
Which flowers last longer in a vase
How to make flowers last longer? Choose their varieties that are least susceptible to room conditions. Champions in the ability to adapt to different temperature and environmental conditions are chrysanthemums. With proper care, they can decorate the house for 3-4 weeks.
Carnations are no less hardy. There are many shades of this plant. Pay attention to them if you want a delicate bouquet to please your eye for at least 3 weeks.
Freesias, hyacinths, orchids and asters can keep fresh for at least 14 days. Daisies, irises, peonies and tulips are more capricious. In the absence of care and inappropriate conditions, they wither after 1.5 weeks.
Popular roses cost the least. If you come across “stale” specimens, then they will begin to fade after a couple of days. Fresh flowers will delight for about a week.
How to make flowers last longer: take good care of cut plants
What can we do to make flowers last longer? You need to follow a few simple rules:
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Try to put the bouquet in the water as soon as possible. Optimally - within 30-40 minutes from the moment of purchase. The fact is that after the specified time, the flowers begin to wilt naturally due to lack of moisture.
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Regularly cut off a few centimeters from the stem. By increasing the area of water intake, you prolong the life of plants. To do this, use a very sharp knife, preferably a clerical one. It has a thinner and sharper blade.
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Pour only settled water into the vase. Don't forget to change it daily.
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Do not be lazy to spray the bouquet with a spray bottle. Also use settled water. However, keep in mind that with excessive humidity in the room, spraying should not be too frequent.
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Trim dead leaves, buds and even the petals of the flower itself.
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Keep your flower vase in the shade at all times.
Life hack: If the buds have begun to wilt, then it's time to give them shock therapy. To do this, pour boiling water on the bottom of the stem (a few centimeters from the end). Cut off the blackened ends. This procedure will help open the pores in the stems, and they will begin to absorb water with a vengeance.
Common mistakes
What can be done to make the flowers stand in a vase for a long time? In fact, everything is simple. Avoid the following errors:
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Irregular water changes. Make it a rule to change the water daily.
Important: the water must not be topped up, but replaced completely.
It should not be icy, but cool enough. If you put the water to settle, then it is better to keep it in a cool place.
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No preservatives in the water. It is not recommended to mix several funds. So you will speed up the decay.
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Wrong cut. A sloppy, torn cut is not suitable for plants.
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Presence of leaves at the bottom of the stem. Otherwise, they will start to rot in the water.
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Bad place. Do not place the bouquet near heaters, gas stoves, window sills located on the sunny side.
We have given you valuable tips on how to make flowers last longer. Stick to them and they will help prolong the life of your bouquet.
How to keep a bouquet of flowers in a vase longer? Florist advice.
08/05/2021
The wonderful beauty of fresh flowers collected in a bouquet pleases the eye and gives pleasant emotions. That is why we want to keep this beauty as long as possible. To prolong the life of flowers in a vase, different methods are used. We tried to collect working methods that are suitable for most types of flowers. We want to share them with you.
Basic rules for caring for cut flowers.
The basic principles of caring for a bouquet of natural flowers are quite simple. Thanks to them, you can keep the freshness of the flower arrangement at home longer.
Bouquet preparation.
- If you brought the bouquet from the cold, leave the protective packaging for a while. Flowers adapt to the new temperature and this will help to avoid temperature shock.
- Remove the lower leaves from the stems. This will prevent the leaves from rotting, which will become a breeding ground for bacteria in the coming days.
- Cut the stems at a 45 degree angle with a sharp, thin-bladed knife. This cut angle is sufficient to feed the plant with water. In addition to a pruning knife, you can use a sharp pruner. If the sharpening is insufficient, some of the capillaries will be transferred and this will reduce the absorption of moisture.
- For some plants, it is advised to split the stems at the bottom or trim them to increase the area of capillary access to water.
Which vase is best for preserving a bouquet?
- Choose a vase large enough to allow all stems to sink deep enough into the water.
- A bouquet inside a vase must breathe. A narrow neck can interfere with air circulation, and high humidity will encourage the stems and leaves to rot.
- A clean vase will keep the water fresh longer. Wash its walls thoroughly before pouring water and placing a bouquet.
- Stable vase. Choose a stable base. This quality of the vase does not directly affect the safety of the bouquet, however, it reduces the risk of the vase with flowers tipping over. If this happens when you are not at home, then the flowers will be left without water.
Choosing the material of the vase.
- Ceramic and porcelain vases keep water fresh longer if the surface is glossy. Pay attention to the absence of cracks in which bacteria multiply.
- Glass vases are very popular, but you should make sure that the sun's rays fall on it as little as possible - this contributes to the growth of bacteria and water bloom. But in a glass vase, it's easier to control cloudiness.
- Crystal vases, despite their popularity, are less suitable for keeping plants fresh than glass ones. The fact is that the micropores of crystal favor the reproduction of microorganisms.
- Oxidation processes take place in metal vessels and metal ions in the aquatic environment become toxic to plants. If possible, put a plastic vessel in a metal vase.
- Plastic vases are suitable because they are inert to acidic environments, but it is important that the walls are smooth. After all, as we already know, bacteria develop in cracks and scratches.
Water in a vase and care for it.
Water is one of the important factors that prolongs the life of a bouquet in a vase. Consider what you need to know about it in order to extend the life of a flower arrangement.
- Use water at room temperature. Tap water is suitable, but sometimes it is advised to defend it or use boiled water.
- Water treatment.
One of the following methods is suitable for disinfection: activated charcoal - 2-3 tablets, aspirin - 1 tablet, 2 drops of ammonia, 2 tablespoons of vodka, a few potassium permanganate crystals, 1 teaspoon of soda per liter of water or 1 teaspoon of vinegar per liter . - Top dressing with water prolongs the life of the bouquet by transferring nutrients. For nutrition, one of the products is dissolved in water: sugar - 1 teaspoon per liter, citric or acetic acid. In addition, florists use the Chrysal series of additives to feed flowers in water. Krizal produces both universal additives and specialized additives for certain types of flowers. When using additives in powder form, dissolve it in water beforehand to avoid chemical burn of the stems.
- Change the water daily. When changing water, do not forget about disinfection and top dressing.
A suitable place for a bouquet indoors.
- Place the vase out of direct sunlight.
- Heating appliances will not be the best neighbors for a bouquet.
- The dry air of the air conditioner turned on for heating contributes to the faster wilting of the buds.
- Plants like coolness, but not a draft.
- Avoid the neighborhood of a bouquet of fruit. They release ethylene, which contributes to the wilting of the plant.
Caring for the bouquet
In addition to preparing the vase, water and place for better preservation, the bouquet itself also needs care. Thanks to this compositions remain attractive much longer. Here are some tips for caring for a bouquet of fresh flowers.
- Spray the buds regularly with water from a spray bottle. This will refresh them and slightly nourish them with moisture.
- Cut stems when changing water. It will not be superfluous to do this under running water, washing them.
- Remove dead leaves, withered buds and dead buds.
Life saving features of popular flowers.
As you can see, there are a lot of tips and rules, but it's not difficult to remember them. Ways to care for individual species may vary slightly. Consider some of the nuances on the example of roses, chrysanthemums, gerberas, lilacs and peonies.
How to keep a bouquet of roses in a vase longer?
- Immerse rose stems in water at least half the length of the stem.
- Cut stems under running water or even directly under water. This will not allow micro air bubbles to block the access of water to the capillaries.
- Remove spikes that sink into water.
- When the bud wilts, you can apply shock therapy by pouring boiling water over the tips of the stems and cutting off the darkened part. After this procedure, the pores will open and moisture absorption will increase.
How to keep chrysanthemums in a vase longer?
Chrysanthemum is a real long-liver among cut flowers. At the same time, caring for it is quite simple: regular water changes, pruning of stems and cleaning of dried leaves. It is also worth getting rid of the leaves on the bottom of the stem before putting the bouquet of chrysanthemums in the water. It is worth noting that the chrysanthemum does not like sudden changes in temperature. When cutting the stem, do not make too sharp an angle. It is at this point that the stem can bend. You can split the stem from the bottom by one centimeter.
With proper care, a bouquet of chrysanthemums will stay in a vase for a whole month, which, without a doubt, cannot but rejoice. And do not be afraid to buy chrysanthemums with opened buds in the store - this is a sign of flower maturity.
How to keep gerberas in a vase longer?
Gerbera is a colorful flower similar to the sun, and bouquets with it in a vase look very impressive and cheerful. To prolong the joy of contemplating the composition of gerberas, the following additional tips will help:
- cut the stems under water to avoid clogging with air;
- Do not immerse gerbera stems deep in water. Enough 4-5 cm;
- pay attention to the disinfection of water and the cleanliness of the vase;
- Help keep the gerbera stems straight. To do this, you can tie them with floral wire or paper. You can also use a grid in a vase by inserting the stems into separate cells;
- trim the stems at least once every two days. If they become soft, you can do this once a day;
- try not to let the tips of the stems touch the bottom of the vase;
- a bouquet of gerberas is better to put in the shade and cool.
How to keep a bouquet of peonies in a vase?
Peonies are seasonal flowers and their flowering period is not as long as we would like. And in a vase, a bouquet of peonies does not last long. But if you take care of them, then the peonies will be able to stand in a vase for about two weeks.
- Choose a large, wide vase so that the stems are less touching.
- Submerge peony stems ¾ length into water.
- Use a dark glass vase to avoid excessive water blooming from sunlight.
- Bathe peonies in cool water before placing them in a vase. This will allow the plants to absorb moisture.
- Use settled water.
- Peonies do not like the neighborhood with many other flowers.
- You can add sugar to the water with a little vinegar.
How to keep a bouquet of hydrangeas in a vase?
Stylish hydrangea mono-bouquets are becoming more and more popular every year. And if earlier they were mainly used for wedding arrangements, now they can be bought at a flower shop.
With proper care, hydrangea bouquets will delight with their elegance for more than two weeks. The basic principles of care coincide with most colors, but there are some peculiarities.
- Trim the stems 2-3 cm and split them for better contact with the liquid. When splitting, do not unbend the cut to the sides, otherwise it may break. These operations are best performed underwater.
- Hydrangea stems, when cut, secrete a juice that sticks them together. To prevent this from happening, hold the cut point in the flame of fire for 10-15 seconds, avoiding singeing.
- Try to change the water every day by rinsing the vase thoroughly.
- There should be plenty of water in the vase so that the stems are at least ⅔ submerged in it.
- Add a few drops of citric or acetic acid to create an acidic environment that hydrangeas love.
- A generous spray from a spray bottle is suitable to maintain wilting buds.
- For severe dehydration of the flowers, soak the flowers in a basin or bath of cool water for 30 minutes and then completely for another two hours. After that, put the bouquet in a vase and put bags on the inflorescences for another 30 minutes - this will give the flowers the opportunity to absorb even more moisture.
How to keep a lilac bouquet at home?
Lilac bouquet fills every corner of the house with its aroma, and we often experience special feelings when inhaling it. A fluffy bouquet of lilacs decorates the room with delicate inflorescences and sets in a romantic mood.
How to care for it in order to keep it blooming and fresh in the vase longer, we will tell below.
- If you can cut the bouquet yourself, then do it early in the morning when the branches have accumulated the maximum amount of moisture.
- Cut shrub branches at an angle with sharp pruning shears.
- If it is not possible to put the bouquet in water immediately, then wrap the sections with a damp cloth and paper on top.
- Make an oblique cut and remove the lilac leaves before placing the bouquet in a vase.
- For better water supply, the stems can be split with a knife and the thick stems can be tapped with a hammer.
- Water should preferably be changed daily with a 1 cm cutoff.
- To soften water, you can add a few drops of vinegar or half a teaspoon of citric acid.
- Feed lilacs in a vase with sugar: one teaspoon per liter of water.
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