A lovely flower bouquet instantly brightens the mood of a room. You love the pick-me-up flowers add to your life and want to keep the petals fresh for an extended period of time. Here are some tips and tricks to make flowers last longer at home:
Prep the Bouquet
Once flowers are removed from their primary water source it increases the chance of wilting. Cut a half-inch off your flower’s lower stem — at a 45 degree angle — with a sharp knife or a good pair of shears. This will allow water to absorb better. After you cut your stems, place the flowers in water with a temperature of at least 44 degrees Celsius. Warming your flowers first and then cooling the bouquet down makes them last longer. Make certain your vase is clean because bacteria at the bottom has the potential of damaging stems.
Prune & Groom
To maintain your flowers, prune daily. Collect dead petals from the vase and replace dirty water every day. When arranging your flowers in the vase, prevent overcrowding because it might cause certain petals to bruise and squash. Mist your flowers daily if possible.
Preserve Petals
A convenient trick to keeping your flowers blooming is preserving them with hairspray. Remove your stems from the vase and lightly spray the underside of the petals by holding the can several inches away. Allow the hairspray to dry before returning them to the vase.
Place Strategically
Keep flowers away from fruit, especially kiwis, bananas and apples because they can cause flowers to rot. Flowers tend to wilt faster when placed next to appliances, like televisions, microwaves and computers. Since heat is emitted from these everyday objects, flowers become dehydrated. Try to place flowers in a cool spot where they receive natural sunlight and aren’t exposed to unnecessary heat from other sources.
Nourish Your Stems
Adding certain nutrients to your flowers will help them last longer. Keep flowers well fed by the accompanying powdered mixture provided by the florist or use household items like apple cider vinegar and sugar to maintain flowers for extended period of time.
Put the vase of flowers in the fridge each night before you go to bed. This simple trick will keep your flowers fresh for days longer than any old wives’ tale trick of Sprite or aspirin.
Buy Longer-Lasting Flowers
Certain flower types last longer than others. Opt for chrysanthemums which last for almost 20 days, as well as carnations. Roses generally last for 7-10 days. There are plenty of choices for flowers at FTD where it is possible to pick a variety of bouquets you know have a longer shelf life. The friend who is getting out the hospital or isn’t feeling well, a mixed bouquet of pink carnations and red roses is a great bouquet so he or she doesn’t have to worry about maintaining these flowers right away.
Your flowers don’t have to wilt within two days after you bring them home. There are easy and practical steps to help you enjoy your pretty bouquet for at least a couple of weeks.