Cut flowers provide a unique joy to their recipients- they’re fragrant, beautiful, and are often a token of love or admiration. But how do we prolong the life of cut flowers? Read on for tips and tricks to extend the life of your blooms. Or if you’re looking for an especially thoughtful gift, pair your flowers with one of our gorgeous vases!
Cut your flower’s stems: Your bouquet is likely to be thirsty! To allow the flowers to soak up as much water as possible, trim your flower’s stems at a 45 degree angle, cutting off at least 1 inch from the bottom of the stem.
Feed your flowers: Many bouquets come with a package of cut flower food to provide nutrients to your blooms and kill any bacteria that may be present. If your flowers didn’t come with a convenient package of food, try a homemade substitute! For every quart of water, florists suggest adding 1tsp of sugar, 1tsp of bleach, and 2tsp of lemon juice (more information here).
Change their water frequently: To extend the life of your cut flowers, change their water every 2-3 days to prevent bacterial growth. If you don’t have access to flower food, these water changes are even more important and we recommend refreshing the water in your vase daily. Lukewarm water in particular will help your thirsty flowers get the hydration they need!
Be patient: Many bouquets will be sold with blooms that have yet to open- this is purposeful, and allows your bouquet to be enjoyed for days and even weeks to come. Remove any flowers that have begun to wilt, and wait patiently for fresh flowers to open. However, some flowers occasionally need a little coaxing. If you’re curious about how to get your lilies to open, try placing a plastic bag over your lilies, and cinching it around your vase. Leave the lilies in this “green-house” for a day, and you might be lucky enough to have coaxed all of your flowers into bloom.