How to Make Your Freshly Cut Flowers Last Longer

Nothing beats the feeling of having flowers delivered. Receiving flowers by post or by courier for your birthday, anniversary, or just because someone wants you to know that you are loved, is always a wonderful moment. Yet, how annoying is it to receive a beautiful flower delivery only for your bouquet to last mere days? Don’t accept that your bouquet’s demise is inevitable - enjoy your flowers for longer with these handy hacks to make your blooms last.

Opt For Swift Delivery

If you are the one gifting flowers, ensure the recipient gets the most out of them by choosing same-day flower delivery or next-day flower delivery. Flowers by post are a great way to ensure your blooms have been prepared properly and that they arrive quickly too. Reputable online flower shops provide this quick service which allows your friends or relations to enjoy their floral gifts for longer.

Get Snippy!

When you first receive your flowers from the florist, they will most likely have long stems that will need to be trimmed before being placed in a vase. Give your blooms the most access to the water by cutting the stems at an angle. Chop a good two inches off the stems using gardening shears and ensure you continue to trim the stems every few days. Next, it is time to prune the leaves. When leaves on your flowers are left to submerge in water, they encourage bacteria as they rot and will limit the shelf-life of your flowers. Remove all the leaves from the bottom of the stems so they are not submerged in the water of your vase.

Get the Water Right

You can’t go wrong with the water in a vase, right? Wrong – you need to place your pruned, de-leaved, cut flowers in room temperature water to get the best out of your blooms. Also, change your water every other day and you will notice that your flowers last longer than if you left them in the same water for a week. Give the vase a thorough clean to in case any bacteria-attracting debris is left behind.

Feed the Flowers

That sachet of flower food that accompanies some bouquets is not for decoration and is a vital component in keeping your flowers vibrant for longer. The flower food should be sprinkled into the water before the flowers are placed in the vase. As you will be changing the water every two days, purchase some flower food separately so you can top it up each time the water is changed. Use this time to assess your flowers and determine which ones may need to be pruned or removed completely as they are beginning to fade in comparison with the other flowers in the vase.

Keep Them Cool

You may think the vase of flowers look best on the window sill, but as soon as you receive your flowers from the florists, keep the flowers away from direct sunlight and away from heat. This means placing them away from radiators and windows and putting them in a shady area of your home. Be wary of placing them anywhere with a draft as a breeze could lead to your flowers losing their petals.

Keep Them Away From Animals or Children

Besides the fact that many flowers can be poisonous when ingested, even the ones that are harmless won’t last long when placed in the path of children or animals. Keep your new bouquet well away from inquisitive kids, cats, and dogs and they will last a lot longer!