3 Steps For Keeping Flowers Fresh For Longer
Are you wondering whether there are ways you can make your flowers look beautiful for as long as possible?
If you are buying flowers for yourself, have received a delivered bouquet, or you have designed a bouquet yourself, there are steps you can take to increase their life.
Most flowers will only last for 4 to 7 days depending on the care they receive.
When taking care of your flowers, you should consider the type of bouquet as well as the special care tips provided by the florist.
While this is important, there are some general steps that you can follow.
1. Transfer The Flowers
Before you move your flowers to a vase, you need to cut their stems. This is vital when you have any pre-cut flowers and arrangements. These flowers can look tired when they are out of the water.
You also need to prepare the flowers for cutting. To do this, you should fill a clean sink with lukewarm water and place the stems in the water.
Keeping the stems in the water will minimise the chance of an air bubble being drawn in. When this happens, the ability of the flower to reabsorb water will be impaired.
You should then use a pair of sharp kitchen scissors or flower snips to cut 2 to 3 cm of the stem off at a sharp angle. When you cut at an angle, you increase the surface space which allows the stem to absorb more water.
This is one of the ways that you can extend the life of your flowers by up to 32%. If there are nodes on the stem, you should avoid cutting through them.
2. Prepare Your Vase
The vase you use should be tall enough to cover the lower half of the flower stems. If you find it hard to fit your flowers into the vase, you need to trim the stems to help. The trimming should be done in the kitchen sink.
Before you put your flowers in the vase, you need to thoroughly clean it. All soap residue needs to be removed and you should place clean water in it.
If the foliage on the flower stem would be submerged in the vase water, you need to remove it. This is one of the major contributors to bacteria in the water and will shorten the life of your flowers.
When it comes to choosing the right vase, you need to consider the type of flower you have, their shape, size and the overall look of the arrangement. Different vases will complement different flowers.
If you have short-stemmed flowers, a shallow vase will give them structure. If possible, you should ask the florist for suggestions on the right vase for the arrangement.
Wedding celebrant Jermaine Clarke says that use of flowers at a wedding is not only a form of expression creating the feeling or setting the mood, but is also used as an element of design.
“The rule of thumb for traditional arrangements is that the length of the flower stems should be no more than one and a half to two times the height of a vase. If you’re buying long-stemmed roses with 51 centimeters, you need a vase that is 25 to 33 centimetres high. Max.”
3. Keep The Flowers Clean And Hydrated
After placing your flowers in a vase, you need to arrange them correctly. The lifespan of your flowers is impacted by how much sunlight, heat and air they get.
The wellness hub experts Expect Me stress the value in making the flowers last longer since they have a positive influence on your mental health. They say, “flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods causing people to feel less depressed, anxious, and agitated when being exposed to flowers on a regular basis.”
Your flowers should be kept away from direct sunlight, draughts, air conditioners, heaters and fresh fruit. While this last item might seem strange, the fruit will release ethylene age which can cause the early death of the flowers.
Your flowers also need to have a daily supply of clean water. This means that you have to top in up in case it gets low and change the water completely every 2 days.
If you have a self-contained arrangement, you will need to regularly check that there is enough water and the oasis is moist.
If you notice scum developing in the vase, you need to remove the flowers. The vase should then be cleaned and fresh water placed inside. The stems of the flowers will need to be re-cut before you transfer them back as this will increase the life of the flowers.
