Tips on How to Care for Fresh Flowers

It’s been a tough day at work, and you’re feeling down. But when you arrive home, you are greeted by a bouquet of fresh flowers delivered – and somehow, it brings a smile to your face and warmth into your heart. You feel a burst of happiness, nearly forgetting about how bad of a day it was.

Arguably, flowers are the only gift that’s capable of bringing such strong positive effects, something that perhaps even words fail of. They are so beautiful, but ephemeral at the same time – and that’s precisely where their charm lies, if we could say so ourselves.

While fresh flowers have relatively short lifespans, there are actually tips and tricks that can help extend their longevity. We’re here to let you in on them!

1. Clip the Stem Regularly

 

Before you place the flower into the water, remove the wrapping paper and trim off an inch of the stem. Also, be sure to clip it regularly, as this will help remove the tissue that may be breaking down at the tip, and allow fresh water to penetrate into the stem.

How to clip the stem, you asked? First of all, ensure that you’re equipped with a sharp knife. Dull tools just don’t meet the cut as you might end up smashing or crushing the stem. Got your hands on the sharpest knife you can find at home? Great! Now, position the blade at a 45-degree angle and slice off about an inch of the stem. This will help create a greater surface area, allowing for increased water uptake.

2. Change the Water Regularly

 

Just like us, our fresh flowers need clean water to thrive – you can’t just leave them in the same bacteria-filled water for days and weeks if you want them to last longer. It’s recommended to change the water entirely every two days (even if it hasn’t been wholly absorbed). This will also help to eliminate any nasty odour.

While at it, look out for any dying foliage and remove them, so that the healthy ones can receive more nutrients.

3. Don’t Expose Them to Direct Sunlight and Heat

Environmental factors play an equally important role in preserving the lifespan of your fresh flowers.

Unlike heat-tolerant plants that flourish with bright sunshine, fresh, cut flowers are a little more delicate. Heat from the sun or appliances like microwaves will dry out the petals of cut flowers, causing them to dehydrate sooner than anticipated. Hence, always place your lovely flowers in cool areas with indirect sunlight, and they’ll be blooming for longer.

4. The Size of the Vase or Container Matters

Contrary to popular belief, not every vase or container works the same for your fresh flowers. In fact, even the nitty-gritty details like balance, proportion and scale matter.

Avoid choosing a vase or container that’s too narrow for the stem as it’ll damage the stem. Neither can it be too wide, as the lack of support can change the overall shape of your flower arrangement drastically.

When it comes to length, the general rule of thumb is that the length of the stem should be no more than 1.5 to 2 times the height of the vase.

Final Remarks

For a novice, taking care of fresh flowers can be a tricky endeavour. But once you get the hang of proper care techniques, you’ll be surprised that you can double or even triple the lifespan of your blooms!

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