What your florist never told you: How to make them last!
So you just spent a lot of money on a beautiful bouquet (or someone else spent a lot of money) and you want them to look alive and well for as long as possible. Here is how to get the most bang for your buck! I promise.
1. Flowers can last up to a couple hours out of water without causing lasting damage. If it is going to be any longer than that, make sure to refrigerate them or ask your florist to put water tubes on them.
2. Always give your flowers a fresh cut right before you put them in water. The ends scab over even a few minutes out of water. By re-cutting them- you are opening up their drinking tubes and allowing the water to travel more easily up to the flower. Ideally you'll want to cut your stems with flower clippers or an extremely sharp set of shears or a knife, being careful not to crush the stem. Cut about 1/2" off.
3. Remove all leaves lower on the stems to prevent them from rotting in the water. Also, removing foliage prolongs the life of the flower because the water is going straight to the flower instead of loosing energy along the way by stopping at the leaves.
4. Room temperature water is best. Dissolve half of the flower food packet your florist gives you before putting the flowers in the water. If you want your blooms to open faster, use warmer water.
5. Keep out of direct sun. Any heat will cause the flowers to open and then wilt faster.
6. VERY IMPORTANT! Change the water every day or every other day. Bacteria builds up in the vase and causes the flowers to rot faster. When you change the water, rinse out the vase and re-cut the stems to open up the drinking tubes again. Add more flower food.
7. Check water level in vase. Some flowers like hydrangea or woody stemmed flowers/branches are big drinkers. Make sure the water is always up to the top to be safe.
So go out and buy yourself flowers and see how much longer they last now that you know so much! Thank you for reading.
Kindly,
Jori Foreman
Owner of Fab Flora