How to keep flowers fresh in a vase

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Video How to keep flowers fresh in a vase

Learn how to keep your cut flowers fresh with these simple florist tips. Say goodbye to wilted blooms and hello to a beautiful, long-lasting bouquet!

Whether your flowers come from your garden or from a florist, you can make them last longer if you treat them right from the moment they are picked from the garden or received as a gift.

With this complete guide on how to care for cut flowers, you can keep flowers fresh in a vase for more than just a few days.

Table of Contents

How to Make Flowers Last Longer

In short, the way to keep your flowers last longer is as follows: Cut flowers at the right time and condition, do not allow the stem to wither after cutting, use warm water immediately, and condition flowers overnight.Always use fresh water and a clean vase. Keep the bouquet out of drafts, avoid direct sunlight, and maintain a cool temperature at night. (continue reading for all details)

Follow these helpful tips to increase the lifespan of cut flowers and revive wilted blooms.

How long do fresh flowers last
Handle cut flowers with care
When and how to cut fresh flowers
What to do after cutting
Condition the flowers
Arrange flowers in vase
Aftercare to keep flowers fresh longer
Homemade flower food
How to fix bent flower stems

How Long do Fresh Flowers Last

Depending on the particular flowers, an average bouquet of cut flowers in a vase lasts from four to ten days.

Chrysanthemums, carnations, and daisies usually live the longest, from ten to fourteen days.

While more delicate flowers like daffodils, violets, and lilies of the valley last only three days.

Cut roses vary by type, but can stay fresh for as long as six days. Fresh tulips may last up to a week.

Handle Cut Flowers with Care

Be gentle handling your flowers. One petal pulled from a chrysanthemum bloom can act as a zipper and the entire flower may fall apart.

Always hold your flowers by the stems, not by the flowerheads.

Carry cut flowers in a heads-down position to prevent any heavy blooms from snapping off.

Florist tip: When petals are accidentally pulled out, you can use a drop of candle wax to stop the flower from falling apart completely. Simply take a lighted candle and let a little bit of wax fall onto the spot in the flower where the petals are missing.

When and How to Cut Fresh Flowers

The best time of day to cut flowers is in the cool of the morning, or after a rain shower. Stems will be full of water and less stressed from daytime heat and humidity.

Use a clean, sharp knife. Scissors and dull knives may damage the stems, making it difficult for the flowers to draw water.

At least ninety percent of the moisture taken up by a flower is absorbed through the end of the stem.

Cut each stem on the slant, as this exposes more stem surface to the water. It also prevents the stem from resting squarely on the bottom of the vase, unable to take up any moisture.

Give store-bought flowers from the florist the same treatment. Recut the stems on the slant, an inch from the end.

Where to cut the flower

Look at where the nodes on the stem are. These are the points on the main stem where the leaf stem grows from.

If you cut the flower stems just above a node (bud, or eye) it helps the plant. It will grow back right from that point.

Cutting the stem just below the node keeps more vigor in the flower you just cut.

So where should you cut your flowers? You should cut twice: First, cut above a node for the plant’s sake, and then recut just below a node for the flower.

Cutting at a midpoint between the nodes doesn’t help the flower or the plant.

Florist tip: If choosing flowers to pick or purchase, select the freshest flowers available. Look for tight centers, deep color, firm heads, and no brown or wilting leaves. If the bud is too tight, it may never open in a vase. If the flower is full-blown, it will start dropping petals soon.

What to do After Cutting

Get flowers into water immediately after cutting. Even a few minutes of exposure to air without water cuts the booms life expectancy.

Use lukewarm water rather than chilly, because the stem absorbs warmish water better, and cold will shock delicate flowers.

If you can’t get your flowers into the water right away, wrap the stems in a damp newspaper or paper towels. Keep in a shady spot.

If the flowers have woody stems (lilacs, chrysanthemums, peony, hydrangea), gently mash the bottom two inches of the stems with a hammer before putting them in water. This helps them absorb water better. You want it bruised, not pulverized.

Flowers with stems that ooze a sticky or milky sap (poppies, poinsettias, daffodils, dahlias) need their stems to be sealed. To do this, dip the ends in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, covering flower heads and foliage in newspaper to protect them from the steam. Then place in lukewarm water.

Condition the Flowers

Conditioning the flowers will result in a healthier, longer-lasting bouquet of flowers.

Before arranging flowers in their vase, condition them by leaving them in lukewarm water in a cool room for at least two-three hours, until the blooms feel firm.

Remove any leaves and thorns that might decay below water level. These can cause an unpleasant smell and pollute the water. Leaves inside the vase above the waterline will divert water away from the flower.

Arrange Flowers in Vase

Use a clean vase that has no bacteria from a previous bouquet. Wash the vase with warm, soapy water and a little ammonia before use.

Make sure the vase is roomy enough for your flowers. Cut flowers do not survive well when they are squeezed together tight.

The best vases for cut flowers are those made of glass, pottery, wood, or anything that will not rust.

Cut flowers do not need direct sunlight. Too much sun will make the flowers wilt sooner. Make sure to keep your vase out of the hot sun.

Place the vase away from drafts, radiators, other high temperatures, or dry locations. A well-ventilated area is best.

How much water do flowers in a vase need?

The water level in a vase is not too important. Flowers are only able to absorb water near the base of their stems, so no need to fill the vase to the brim with water.

Most flowers last as long in water an inch deep, as they will in water four or five inches deep. A note if you have fresh carnations. They resent shallow water.

How to keep flowers fresh overnight before giving them

If you have a fabulous bouquet of cut flowers but need to keep them fresh overnight before giving them away, or using them at a wedding or baby shower, the most important thing is to keep them cool.

If possible, put the flowers in a cold spot, like the garage, or fridge. Keeping cut flowers in your refrigerator overnight will make them less susceptible to wilting.

Florist tip: Prevent a mess by carefully removing all pollen-bearing stamens on flowers such as lilies so the pollen won’t fall off.

Aftercare to Keep Flowers Fresh Longer

You can revive wilting blooms by checking the cut ends daily or every other day. If they seem clogged, re-cut so the flower can take in water more easily again.

Most delicate flowers, such as violets, gardenias, and orchids, will stay fresh longer if the cut blooms are misted daily with tepid water.

Keep your bouquet fresh by removing and replacing faded flowers and leaves as necessary.

Check out the recent Apartment Guide article I was featured in: Flower Power: 10 Expert Flower Care Tips To Try This SummerThere’s just something so magical about having flowers in your home. Whether you have a fresh-cut bouquet on your nightstand or a balcony filled with colorful, flower-filled containers — flowers help make a space a home. To get the most out of your flowers — homegrown or store-bought — follow these creative and helpful flower care tips.

Homemade flower food

Many people try to make homemade flower food by adding things like copper pennies, sprite, salt, vinegar, bleach and sugar, or aspirin to the water.

These are popular methods to keep flowers fresh, unfortunately, these DIY flower food methods simply do not work as well as real plant food.

Aspirin is not a flower food substitute and does not keep your flowers fresh any longer. It is better to save your aspirins for a headache.

Instead of homemade flower food, you can keep your cut flowers alive longer by using a commercial flower preservative. This has real flower food, and ingredients that slow down fungus and bacterial growth.

A packet of flower preservatives is often included with store-bought flowers, or you can get cut flower preservatives in a bottle or packets.

If a preservative is used, the water does not have to be changed as often, but fresh water can be added to the vase when necessary.

How to Fix Bent Flower Stems

It’s a shame, but it happens. Sometimes a flower stem bends or breaks. There are a few easy ways to fix them.

Straighten the bent stem of a heavy-headed bloom by gently inserting a toothpick through the center of the bloom and down into the stem.

A plastic straw works well as a splint for a broken flower stem. Especially those thin stirring straws. Push the broken stem into the straw in such a way that the break is supported and water flows through the straw and stem.

Another way is to use a thin wire pushed through a broken stem to straighten it. This works so long as the break is underwater.

Florist tip: You can revive bulb-grown flowers, like tulips, amaryllis, or daffodils, when they start to droop by releasing air bubbles in the stem. These air bubbles may make it harder for the flower to take in water. Simply sterilize a needle in a flame, then prick the stem just below the flower head.

Flowering Houseplants

Do you like flowering houseplants as well as fresh flowers? Check out these other popular plant articles.

How to Care for your Poinsettia Plant
How to Get your Indoor Succulents to Flower
Indoor Orchid Care For Beginners
How to Care for your Holiday Cactus (Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter)

Make fresh flowers last longer web story.

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