Fresh flowers are always beautiful and can make a room feel instantly brighter, but cut flowers have the tendency to die quite quickly. There are a few tricks you can do to slow down how quickly your cut flowers will begin to wilt and die, to make them last as long as possible, and look more vibrant for longer.
Start With A Truly Clean Vase
You need to start with a spotless vase, as even a small amount of old water or plant debris can hide bacteria that will clog your stems, and shorten the life of your flowers.
Wash your vase with hot and soapy water with a bottle brush, to reach the bottom of the vase. Rinse it well, and wipe it dry with a clean cloth, so you don’t introduce any bacteria.
Sanitize your flower vases when possible, by mixing one part household bleach to nine parts water, fill the vase, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse it thoroughly, to kill lingering bacteria that causes stem blockages and cloudy water.
If you want a more natural option, use white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, as they’ll do the same, and you also need to give the vase a full rinse after.
Trim Stems The Right Way and Recut Them Every Few Days
Always cut the stems of your flowers with sharp tools, to avoid crushing the tissue within the stems. Use clean shears or a knife, and cut the stems at a 45 degree angle, so the stems have more surface to drink water.
Trim the stems underwater when you can, as cutting underwater prevents air from entering the stems and blocking the water uptake, extending their life.
Remove any leaves which will sit below the waterline, as leaves in water rot and grow bacteria, which shortens the flowers vase life.
Recut the stems every 2 to 3 days, and change the water at the same time. Flowers try and seal damaged end, so repeating the cut will keep the water pathway open, and improve their water uptake.
If your vase isn’t wide enough for you to cut the stems underwater, you can hold the stem under water right after cutting them, and this will still reduce the chance of air entering the stem and will keep your flowers fresher.
Watch Out For Fruit And Ripening Produce Nearby
Keep your beautiful flower bouquets away from fruit and any other ripening produce. Fruits like apples, bananas and avocados all give off ethylene gas, and ethylene speed up the wilting process, causing petals to drop sooner.
Place your vases in a different room or on a shelf away from fruit bowls, and a small distance can make a big difference.
Use fresh water and flower food packets to help flowers resist stress from nearby ethylene. Commercial flower food packets contain ingredients to feed stems, reduce bacteria and sometimes slow the ethylene effects. Replace the solution every 2 to 3 days, and add a new packet whenever you change the water.
Revive Droopy Blooms With A Quick Refresh
Remove the flowers from the vase and discard old water, rinsing the vase to remove bacteria which, as explained above, can shorten the flower’s life.
Recut the stems at a 45 degree angle, cutting off about an inch to open the water channels, so your flowers can drink again.
Fill your vase with cool and clean water, adding flower food if you have it, if not, a teaspoon of sugar with a few drops of bleach can help feed flowers and slow bacteria growth, but be very sparing with how much bleach you add.
Keep your flowers cool and out of direct sunlight or heat sources, with cooler rooms helping your flowers stay fresh longer and slow down the wilting process.
If your flowers are looking very droopy, you can try a quick water bath, by submerging the heads and stems in room-temperature water for 30 to 50 minutes, as it’ll rehydrate the petals, and lift any sagging stems.
Place your revived stems in a shallow vase with fresh water for 1 to 2 hours before you rearrange them, so they time to settle.
Always check the water daily, and top the vase up with cool water. Change your water every 2 to 3 days, recutthe stems, and always remove dying flowers so the rest can stay fresh.
Hi, my name is Gemma, and I’m the owner of MakeupMuddle.com. I’m a true beauty obsessive, and love writing about anything to do with beauty – I have been a beauty writer since 2012.