Flowers make a beautiful addition to any room, whether they’re a gift from someone, or yourself. Sadly, flowers don’t last as long as we’d like but with the right care we can expand the life of a single bud vase, an adored bouquet or stunning floral arrangement.
On average, floral arrangements last from 4 days to a week depending on the type of flowers. Different types of flowers require different care instructions. So, here’s how you can take care of your flowers and keep your gift blooming for longer.
Begin by placing them in a clean vase. It’s important to make sure that it is rinsed, cleaned and dried to make sure there is no bacteria contamination left in the vase, as that will affect the flowers.
Choose a vase that is comfortable to the size of the arrangement and doesn’t overcrowd the flowers.
For most cut flowers, fill the vase with tepid water as they avoid any air bubbles in the stem that may interfere with intake of water upward. Certain blooms like daffodils, gerberas, lilies and tulips work as an exception to this as they prefer cold water. All flower and foliage stems should be submerged.
Some flowers come arranged, inserted in a brick floral foam that is damp and filled with water. Maintain to water the arrangement as is because they also contain flower food to help nurturing the flowers land make them last longer
Remove packaging and trim any foliage below the water level to prevent it from decaying or cause bacteria to grow while keeping the water clean as they can’t take in sunlight and oxygen underwater.
Give the flowers a fresh 1- 2 inches cut from the ends of the stems at an angle to give the stem a broader area to intake water to ensure hydration. This is a crucial step, if not cut, the flowers will sit to the bottom of the vase, sealing itself from absorbing water.
For best results, use a sharp knife and not scissors to cut your flowers because they can crush the stems and prevent water absorption.
Flowers will live longer if you avoid placing them in direct sunlight, heat, on top of appliances such as heaters, fireplace as they can precipitately wilt cut flowers.
Further to avoid wilting, make sure you place them away from fruits as some fruits discharge ethylene gas which can prematurely age flowers.
Every 2-3 days remove any dead flowers, wilting leaves or faded foliage as you see them in order to keep the rest of the flowers healthy.
Regularly change to fresh water or when it begins to look cloudy and make sure it’s about three-quarters full.
Add Flower Food or flower preservative to the water as per packet instructions and keep replenishing it as needed. It keeps the flowers hydrated, nourished to help prolong the life of your flowers.
Terrariums are made from cut succulents and don't have roots. They are easy-going plants that can be without water for weeks, so don't leave them standing in a lot of water. They should be kept indoors in a spot where it gets indirect natural light. Learn how to keep them alive in our How to Care For Succulents blog.
Lilies are commonly delivered in bud form as their petals are very easily bruised. By being delivered in this fresh bud form, it will also give the bouquet or arrangement a much longer life span.
Disclaimer: Lilies can be toxic to cats. So make sure they’re out of reach of your pets.
Roses may be delivered with the outer petals, still attached, they are purposely left on by the florist to protect the rose in transit.
Roses are highly sensitive to bacteria so it’s important to place them in clean vases with fresh water regularly. They also last longer in cool temperatures with indirect sunlight. If your roses start to droop at the head or wilt, you can revive them by re-cutting an inch of the stem. A rose's stem should always be cut while being submerged in water. This stops air bubbles from forming in the stem.
Contrary to most cut flowers, tulips continue to grow. Tulips are best maintained in cool temperatures to extend their lifespan, but they are also the kind of blooms that tend to face and open wide towards any leading light source which may cause it to wilt or droop the flower head.
If a tulip starts to droop or you spot any white ends on their stems, try pricking the stem just below the flower head with a pin to let out any air or just cut off the ends to help the flower absorb water easily. Trim the bottom of the stem regularly and rotate your vase every few days.