Useful Tips for Longer Lasting Flower Arrangements

Do you wish your flower arrangements would last longer? If so, your wish can come true. All you need to do is follow these useful tips.

Carefully Choose Your Flowers

First off, to make your flower arrangements last longer, you need to choose the right flowers. That means choosing bunches with new and fresh buds. If you are ordering flowers online, go with a seller that only cuts flowers when you order, thus ensuring longer-lasting freshness. For instance, the farm-fresh red flowers bouquets from Bouqs are only cut when an order is placed, so they can last a long time.

Cut Stems and Condition Flowers Correctly

If you are cutting stems yourself, perhaps because you want shorter flowers for your specific arrangement and vase type, make sure you use a clean and disinfected knife to minimize potential bacteria contact. Furthermore, you can make your flowers last longer by properly conditioning them. The most important element of conditioning is to cut the stems underwater. That prevents air from entering the fresh cut. In turn, the life of your flower arrangement will be prolonged.

Beware of Some Flower Combinations

While flower combinations are not an issue for lifespan when you purchase bouquets from florists, if you are arranging flowers that you have grown in your garden, you need to be careful of which flowers you put together. The sap from some flowers, particularly daffodils, can cause a reaction in other flowers and shorten their lives. So, research different flower types to discover which work best together.

Remove Leaves

You should remove any leaves on the flower stems that would end up being submerged in the vase’s water. When leaves are left in the water, they will rot and spread bacteria. The water will soon appear murky too. So, always remove lower leaves to ensure your flower arrangement is long-lasting.  

Thoroughly Clean the Vase

Speaking of bacteria: make sure you clean your vase thoroughly before you use it. If you do not, bacteria can build up and block the stems from absorbing water. That could result in blooms quickly wilting. You could consider adding a drop of chlorine bleach to the vase’s water to ensure sanitization.

Use Clean Water and Feed Your Flowers

Not only does the vase need to be clean. The water you put inside it needs to be clean, too. To extend the lifespan of your flower arrangement, make sure you add flower food to the clean water. You should add flower food in the concentration amount that is stated on the product.

Change the Water

Clean water can be crucial to how long fresh-cut flowers last in vases, so you should regularly change the vase’s water to extend the flowers’ lives. When you change the water, remove any faded flowers that are contributing to the lower water quality.

Place Your Flower Arrangement in the Right Place

Even when you take the above steps to ensure your flowers last longer, if you do not place the vase in the right spot, your flowers could wilt sooner. High temperatures and direct sunlight can dramatically shorten your blooms’ lifespan, so avoid places like kitchen windowsills and above radiators. Instead, choose a cool and shady spot to extend the life of your flowers. Furthermore, you should avoid placing your arrangements next to fruit. The reason is fruits can give off the ripening hormone known as ethylene, which causes plants and flowers to age more quickly.