Since we don’t receive fresh flowers every day, many of us have our vases sitting at the bottom of the cupboard, gathering dust. What’s worse is watching those freshly delivered flowers wilt sooner than expected. To help keep your beautiful bouquet fresh for a more extended period, follow these simple tips!

1) A Little Air for the Flowers

Bouquets are usually delivered in kraft paper as soon as you receive them, you should remove them from the paper. The flowers have been kept in the box for quite long and might die if they don’t get enough air to breathe.

2) Cut the Stems Diagonally

Once you have removed the kraft paper, it is time to cut the stems. Scissors in your hand, you should cut them about two inches and diagonally. If you cut them this way, it becomes easier for flowers to absorb water and hydrate themselves.

3) Use a Clean Vase

Always use a clean container to reduce the risk of contamination by bacteria and other microorganisms, which can damage your flowers. Select a container that has a wide neck so that the stems have enough space.

4) Put Them in the Right Place

The warmer the room in which you place the flowers, the shorter their life span. Ideally, place them in an area with good natural light, away from electronic devices or radiators, and away from fruits and vegetables, because they release small amounts of ethylene gas that causes them to die quickly. Too much sun exposure is also not useful because it increases the temperature and causes the flowers to dry out. Most prefer temperatures between 18 and 22°C.

5) Feed Them

Generally, the delivery includes a flower life extension, in the form of a small packet of sugar. If you didn’t bring it with you, pour 10 g of sugar per litre of boiled water (already cold) and place the flowers in it. The sugars provide the energy the flowers need to stay in excellent condition.

Depending on the flower, you may need to use a little more sugar per litre of water to keep the flower in excellent condition. Carnations, for example, need between 15 and 80 g of sugar per litre of water, roses between 15 and 40 g, tulips between 60 and 80 g, chrysanthemums between 15 and 200 g, dahlias 15 g and gladioli between 40 and 60 g.

Put the flowers’ stems in this solution every night in a cool place without light, for 12 hours or at least 4 hours. If you think the solution is contaminated, throw it away and make a new solution. Before placing the flowers back in the usual water, rinse them so that no sugar remains on the stems.

6) Check Them Daily

Keep the vase full of freshwater and always clean the bottom of the vase to prevent mildew. Remove the flowers from the vase every two or three days and remove one or two inches from the stem, cutting diagonally, because if you put the flowers back in the vase, they will rest on the bottom and will not be able to absorb water.

To preserve the flowers’ beauty for a longer time, remove any leaves that have contact with the water in the vase. The leaves that are under water quickly start to rot, giving food to bacteria that can damage the rest of the plant. After two or three days, remove the fallen flowers and the leaves, cut off the stems again and put the water back in the vase.

Let us know if these few tips have helped you, and share yours in the comments below!