A bouquet of flowers is always a good idea. Flowers add so much beauty to a room. Fresh Flowers make any space feel instantly grown. The color and the scent can lift and refresh any room. In this blog I’m sharing with you a few secrets on how to keep your flowers last longer.
My friend in Berlin who is a passionate florist, gave me several useful tips that I can’t wait to share with you. The tricks are simple but can definitely increase the lifetime up to 2-3 weeks.
Step 1
Always use a clean vase. Before placing your flowers in a beautiful vase it’s an important step to wash the dust away from your vase. I prefer to wash my vase with hot water and dry it upside down. That way I minimize the bacteria that might later harm the flowers.
Step 2
Vase Water
Once you have filled the water, put the vase to the side. Leave it for some time and allow the water to settle. That way the larger air bubbles will escape and the water will reach the room temperature.
The secret to keeping cut flowers looking good for as long as possible is to minimize the growth of bacteria in the water and to provide nourishment to replace what the flowers would have gotten had they not been cut. This is why bouquets often come with sachets which usually contain a mild disinfectant and sugar. But there are many other ways you can stop your flowers wilting and drooping after only a few days.
Step 3
Allow Vase Water to Settle
Once you’ve done that, put the vase to one side and leave it for a while to allow some of the larger air bubbles to escape and for the water to reach room temperature. Flowers take warmer water in more efficiently than cold.
Note: Woody steams prefer a deep drink. Fill the vase around 2/3rds full with warm tap water. Flowers with soft steams prefer shallow drink, fill the vase under half way.
Step 4
Keep the leaves out of water
Once you’ve filled up your vase, be sure to remove all leaves from the part of the stem that’s under water – Sadly, these will rot and create bacteria, aka the real enemy of a long-lasting centerpiece. This not only helps the flowers but also keeps the water cleaner. Keep the water in the vase clean: Yup, that means dumping it out and refilling it every other day. That will extend the life of any blooms, even roses.
Step 5
Flower Food
Don’t forget to add the flower food. Usually you get the little sachets with the flower bouquet. If not simply add 2 tablespoon sugar to the water. Make sure it’s fully dissolved with a quick stir.
Step 6
Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle (one inch from the bottom)
This instantly increases the surface area for water intake, so your flowers will be well hydrated. Don’t trash flowers with shorter stems. Instead display them in a small glass container or be creative and use a teacup.
My advice: Increase the lifetime of your flower bouquet by separating the weaker steams from the once that look still fresh. Cut off the weak steam and place the flowers in small vases or glass containers. I personally love to use glass shots or other crystal glasses. I arrange the glass shots around the centerpiece on the table that gives me the option to extend their beauty and life.
Remember to avoid cloudy water which is the main cause for short vase life. Keep the water in the glass clear and once your water is ready, repeat step 6 and cut the stems removing at least an inch from the bottom.
Also Read: Selecting the right sofa