These suggestions can help you extend the life of your flowers
Whether you produce flowers in your own or purchase them from a florist, we want to help you make them last as long as possible. We produced a brief essay describing the techniques florists use to prolong the life of flowers. These basic and straightforward methods can assist you in preserving your flowers and extending the joy they offer to your house. At Sophy Crown Flowers, we take great pleasure in delivering the freshest cut flowers to maximise the life of your arrangement and the happiness our flowers bring to your life.
Here are the tips we provide with our clients in order to prolong the life of their cut flowers. Some of you may already know and employ all of these techniques, while others may be new. I hope you find these useful for prolonging the life of cut flowers.
These florist techniques will revolutionise the way you care for your flowers, from the water you use to the positioning of the vase.
We are all curious about how to keep flowers fresh in a vase. Whether you want to extend the peony season or the longevity of your roses from a special occasion, there are ways to do so. Regardless of the cause, the solutions remain unchanged. And it begins with the arrangement of your vase (and perhaps your fruit dish).
Keeping your best indoor plants healthy depends on a number of elements, from the water you use to the location of the vase in the kitchen.
How to keep flowers fresh in a vase: seven common errors to avoid for healthier blooms
Here, leading florists reveal the most frequent mistakes to avoid — and their remedies — for healthy, long-lasting blossoms.
Flowers placed next to a fruit bowl
According to Sophy Crown Flowers, your fruit bowl may be one of the primary causes of your flowers’ rapid withering. This is due to the fact that many fruits, including apples, bananas, and tomatoes, produce large quantities of ethylene, a chemical that prevents flowers from producing ethylene. This accelerates the ageing process and shortens their lives.
Sophy Crown Flowers, reiterating the effects of ethylene on your plant, said, “Avoid placing your flowers near to the fruit dish.” “Fruits emit gases that cause flowers to wilt quickly.” Strange but real!
If you enjoy the appearance of fruit and flowers in the kitchen, have no concern. These blossoms will not wilt in the midst of your favourite fruit, making dried flowers an excellent alternative for decorating this room.
Selecting the wrong-shaped vase
Choosing the proper vase size is crucial to the longevity of your cut flower arrangement. Our skilled florists can assist you in selecting the proper vase or container size so that the trimmed stems fit snugly into the aperture or mouth. If the entrance is too tiny, the flower stems may appear cramped or squashed, so either trim some of the flower stems to form a smaller bouquet or choose a vase with a wider opening. In contrast, if the mouth of your vase is excessively large, the arrangement will lack form and structure. If you’re unsure, ask one of our helpful florists to guide you through the various selections available online or in our Hillcrest store. Some are best suited for short, stout arrangements, while others are better suited for towering, spectacular compositions. Our experts can assist you in making the best decision.
Using a low container, such as a cube or tiny bowl, which necessitates a large cut to the length of the flower stems, might be intimidating for novices. To make the blooms fit, the stems will need to be shortened, which might create worry in beginners.
Replace cold water with warm water if you are attempting to get your flowers to bloom. The warm temperature will assist the flower’s opening. After they have opened, you should replace the water with cold water.
Vases may be used to brighten a place and fill an empty spot with colour. However, it is essential to maintain things both functional and aesthetically pleasing. If you choose the improper size or form (regardless of its aesthetic value), your flowers will not have sufficient breathing room, which will shorten their lives.
If the vase is too small, the stems may become compressed. Damaged stems reduce the vase life of flowers “Vicky explains. “If the mouth of the vase is excessively large, the floral arrangement will lose its form. Ensure that the stems fit comfortably into the mouth of the vase.
Failure to clip the plant’s stems
Purchased flowers should always have their stems trimmed before being placed in water. If you purchase a floral arrangement from a professional florist, it should already be cut, and the flowers should last for several days. However, it is still necessary to trim the stems after a few days to allow fresh water to infiltrate the stem of the flower. Additionally, it is beneficial to replenish the water every few days.
Flowers employ capillary action to move vase water up to their blooms; trimming the stems shorter will facilitate this process.
And, if they’ve been sitting in a bucket at the florist for a while, it’s possible that the bottoms of their stems have grown broken; cutting them by a couple of inches can provide a new hole for water to rise. For optimal effects, cut the stems at an angle and submerged in water, then place them directly in the water-filled vase.
Failing to remove the leaves
Before placing your cut flowers in a vase, take the time to trim any additional leaves from the base of the stem if they will likely lay below the waterline. Eliminating the vegetation will reduce the amount of bacteria in the water, therefore keeping the water clean and odor-free. This will also allow the bloom to focus on the flowers, allowing them to retain their freshness for longer. As part of our daily care at Sophy Crown Flowers, we periodically trim fresh flowers and remove their leaves.
Leaves that sit in water decompose, and this rot encourages the growth of bacteria, which eventually harms the blooms. Before placing leaves in a vase, you should snip off those that will sit below the water line.
Reza Estes of The Project Girl advises, “Remove any leaves from the bottom of the stem before to placing it in water” (opens in a new tab). This will prolong the freshness of your flowers, as water and nutrients cannot reach the leaves without being filtered first.
Using improper water
Fresh, clean water helps prolong the life of your cut flowers. Every two or three days, remove the flowers from the vase, clean it thoroughly, and refill it with fresh water. If you have fading vegetation, you must remove it.
Putting your floral arrangement in the refrigerator overnight will also help prolong their life. This may be difficult depending on the size of the arrangement, but it is a clever approach that can do wonders for the longevity of your summer flowers.
According to Reza, it is crucial to refrain from watering your plants with tap water. This is because tap water typically includes chlorine, which is detrimental to both cut flowers and fragrant flowers. However, the process begins even before the vase is filled with water.
The first step is to ensure that your vase is clean; cleaning it with warm water and dish soap before to filling it can reduce bacterial growth. The experts recommend using lukewarm, filtered water and letting the water rest while you trim the flower stems. This will aid in water absorption and prolong the freshness of your flowers.
And if you want your flowers to last as long as possible in a vase, you must replace the water every day.
neglecting to water your flowers
Flower food, which is frequently given taped to the stems, includes antibacterial substances that hinder the growth of germs to keep the water clean, as well as citric acid, which helps make the water acidic, which keeps the flowers healthy.
Flowers hung in the window
The location of your cut flowers can have a direct effect on their longevity. As opposed to direct sunshine and heat, placing your arrangement in a shady, cool spot that receives indirect sunlight helps to conserve the flowers. Remember that colder is preferable, except for tropical flowers, which enjoy heat and humidity (like orchids).
You may wish to display your flowers on a sunny windowsill or in a warm living room, but doing so can accelerate their decomposition.
Sophy, the founder of Sophy Crown Flowers Dublin, advises, “It’s not a good idea to lay your bouquet in full sunshine or in a really warm section of your house, such as near radiators; they won’t appreciate you for it” (opens in a new tab). She recommends placing cut flowers in a cold place to ensure that they stay as long as possible.
If your flowers come with a little package of “flower food,” make sure to utilise it. Depending on the manufacturer, most vase water contains sugar to feed the flowers, acid to regulate the pH levels of the water, and a small amount of bleach to eliminate germs and fungi. All three contribute to the longevity of the blooms.
