How To Keep Fresh Flowers Fresh

Cut flowers usually only last between 7 and 12 days. However, that’s only if you take good care of them and know how to keep fresh flowers fresh. But if you don’t take care of your cut flowers at all, they may start to wither within a week.

So, what can you do to make sure that your fresh flowers stay as fresh as possible for as long as possible? Keep reading and learn what you can do to keep flowers fresh.

Cut the Stems

Some people think that cutting the stems of cut flowers is a fruitless task, but this isn’t true. Cutting the stems of your flowers is an essential part of keeping the flowers as fresh as possible. This is because of how the vascular system inside the flower stems works.

When you get flowers straight from a florist like Phillip’s Flowers, the ends of the stems will have small air bubbles in them. These air bubbles will block off the rest of the stem’s vascular system so that the stems and flowers cannot absorb any water once you put them in a vase. As a result, the flower will wither much faster.

For that reason, you should always cut off about half an inch from the bottom of the stems. You should use a very sharp pair of scissors for this so that the cut is even and clean. That way, the flowers should be able to absorb water without any problems.

Water Is Essential

Once you cut the ends of the stems, you should put the flowers in a vase of water right away. Waiting to put the flowers in water will only cause the stems to pick up more air bubbles that will block the stem’s vascular system. If that happens, you’ll have to cut the stems again.

But if you put the stems directly in a container of water, they will start to suck up the water instead and this will keep the flowers looking fresh and healthy. You will also want to pay attention to the temperature of the water as well. If the water is too warm or even hot, the stems will start to cook and break down.

This will prevent the stems from being able to provide enough nutrients to the flowers and, as a result, your flowers will start to die off much faster. For that reason, it is best to use cool (but not cold) water to keep the flowers as fresh as possible.

Lastly, don’t forget about the flower food. Most bouquets already come with a packet of flower food to add to the water that will help keep the flowers fresh.

If the flowers don’t come with any flower food, you can always make your own with some sugar and vitamin C.