You hope that that lovely bunch of flowers you received on your birthday never ever wilts! Those flowers will, eventually, wilt of course. However, there are ways you can make them last longer.
Fresh flowers look beautiful; they smell nice too! They can carry sentimental significance because of who presented them to you and when, or they may mean a lot to you because of how much money you spent on them! Whatever the case, you want to make sure that those flowers last as long as possible. These tips will help make a difference:
- Buy fresh: It goes without saying: the fresher you get them, the longer they last. Whether you’re buying flowers for yourself or as a gift for someone else, you want to ensure that you buy them as fresh as possible. Look for telltale signs like wilted leaves, dry petals or flowers whose petals have been removed from the outside to give an impression of freshness. Squeeze the base of the blooms to check for freshness. Don’t let the flowers lie around; make sure that you immerse them in water as soon as possible.
- Choose the right container: Use a jug or a vase that is large enough to accommodate the bouquet or divide the flowers into more than one receptacle. The idea is that the stems should not be crowded together and that they have enough room to breathe and absorb water. Ensure that the container is clean. It is also advisable to use filtered water rather than tap water for the flowers.
- Arrange them properly: Usually it is best to fill the jug or vase up to about the halfway level so that the stems can absorb air as well as water. It is also advisable that you snip off the ends of the stems while they are immersed in water. This prevents air bubbles and ensures more effective absorption of water into the stems. Make sure that there is enough water to immerse all the stems properly or you may find that some blooms are wilting away before others. Sometimes, you can let the flowers remain in the arrangement they came in – inserted into the special florist’s foam in that nice basket. All you need to do is ensure that the foam remains wet so the flowers can continue to absorb water.
- Remove the leaves: The stems that you place inside the water should have no leaves on them because the leaves will rot and cause the flowers to die quicker. Plus, they create a terrible stink because of accumulation of bacteria.
- Keep the flowers in a cool place: Heat is of course the enemy of cut flowers. For instance, flowers last much longer in cooler weather. While you cannot alter the weather, you can ensure that the flower vase is kept in the coolest area of the home. Avoid the kitchen and if possible place the flowers in an air-conditioned room. However, don’t keep them directly under the fan because the draft of air will accelerate the damage to the blooms. If you have bought flowers for a party, place the flowers in the fridge and remove them just before your guests are due to arrive.
- Add some sugar: Many experts advise you to add some sugar to the water in the vase. Even adding a Disprin tablet can help, presumably because this offers nutrients to the flowers and helps them live longer. Some people also recommend vinegar, bleach, vodka and lemon juice to nourish those blooms.
- Change the water regularly: Notice how the water in the vase gets smelly, sludgy and discolored over a couple of days? This is a sign that you need to change the water in the vase. It is also advisable to snip off the ends of the stem and add the sugar or the Disprin tablet each time you change the water. While you do this, remove dead or wilted flowers as well.
- Spray those blooms: Spray water on the flowers to keep them looking dewy and to help them remain moist. Some experts even recommend giving them a spritz of hair spray to keep them fresher for longer.
With a bit of TLC, your blooms will bloom for longer!
