How to Keep your Flowers Fresh

4 Easy Steps to Make Your Flowers Last

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, which is the perfect time to get a refresher on how to make your flowers last. Even if you only do one of the below steps, I guarantee it help your flowers look better than doing nothing at all! 

Why should I bother taking care of my flowers if they'll die anyway?

As soon as flowers are cut from the ground, they lose access to water, food and growth regulators. Simply giving flower food can help extend the vase life of your flowers by 60% versus water alone! (Chrysal, n.d.). I also like to think of flower care as a thank you to the person who got you the flowers. 

The 4 Steps of Flower Care

• Use the packet of flower food and follow the instructions on how much water to add. If your bouquet does not come with one, ask the florist for one! It helps the flowers get food and regulators, stimulates water uptake and reduces the pH of the water (The Florist, 2015). As mentioned, it can extend the vase life by 60% versus water alone! 

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• Remove the leaves that sit below water level. This helps avoid bacteria growth in the water. Clean stems are also MUCH easier to work with if you are trying to make your own arrangement and want to move them around.

• Use clean scissors to trim a few inches off your stems (1-2 inches). Cut diagonally for greater surface area of water intake.

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• Replace water every 2-3 days (don’t wait for your flowers to droop or for the water to get murky!). Trim stems each time you change the water.

I get it, we are busy people, so try to do at least one step the next time you receive flowers! If you don't have a flower food packet, change your water regularly at least. Don't be afraid to throw out the dead flowers as the days go by and keep the remaining flowers. A little care goes a long way :) 

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