Fresh flowers symbolize one’s love, affection, and intentions toward someone, and are the type of gift which say much towards expressing those feelings without words.
We all love flowers because they genuinely bring joy to people and improve the overall ambience of a space just by being beside them, looking at them, or touching them, even for men.
Understandably, nobody likes when our flowers eventually start to wilt or die, especially when it’s sentimental or from someone very special we care about because we want them to last a bit longer to still have the joy and message the flowers brings.
But there are ways you can help the flowers last longer.
Here are some things to follow to help the flowers last a bit longer.
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IMPORTANT CARE TIPS
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PICKING THE RIGHT VASE
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WHY SHOULD STEMS BE TRIMMED
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HOW TO ADD WATER TO A VASE
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BEST PLACE TO KEEP FLOWERS TO MAKE THEM LAST
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HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE WATER BE CHANGED
IMPORTANT CARE TIPS
- Firstly, you need to get a vase. Clean the vase thoroughly with soap and water.
If it’s an old vase, you will have to wash the inside of the vase with hot water and salt to kill any bacteria from the vase.
Any lingering bacteria will make the flowers wilt faster.
Generally, you would need to make sure the vase is thoroughly clean and bacteria-free at all times.
- After cleaning the vase, fill the vase to two-thirds with fresh lukewarm water and then add your flower food or other substitutes to the vase with water and mix it.
You can top up the water the next day after receiving your flowers rather than changing the water completely, which will help the flowers benefit from the flower food for longer, or use other substitutes to replace the flower food when you run out of them
- Next, unwrap your beautiful bouquet and remove any foliage or bad leaves as it will sit below the waterline and build up debris.
If your bouquet has roses in it or it is a rose bouquet, you will discover some discolored outer petals around the rose. They are called the guard petals, they protect the inner petals from sun and dust
You can gently remove the outer discolored petals so the inner petals are showing instead.
- Once you are done removing the foliage and outer petals, trim the bottom of the stem (the stick of the flower) at an angle not straight. This will enable the stem to suck enough water properly from the vase. In essence, you are increasing the area through which the stem can absorb the water, and cutting at an angle also helps prevent the stem from pressing against the bottom of the vase which would block the stem from absorbing the water.
Trim the stems at 2 to 3 cm and also wash the stems before putting the flowers in the vase, make sure they are sitting properly in the vase.
- From the 3rd day you can change the water completely and do that regularly. Flowers love fresh water just as we humans do.
Avoid direct sunlight touching the flowers to prolong the flowers life and remove any wilted or dead flowers or petals. Apart from the wilted or dead petals not letting the flowers look attractive it will also spread mold to others
PICKING THE RIGHT VASE
The type of vase you choose can also determine how long your flowers last. If the flowers are sitting properly and comfortably, it will help the flowers breathe and suck water well
but if they are not sitting properly, it is going to stress the flowers and cause them to die.
Go for a vase that is half the height of the bouquet. If the bottom of the bouquet is heavy, use a narrower vase, but if the top of the bouquet is heavy then use a wider vase.
Remember to make sure your vase is clean before use. Leave the vase to dry naturally, because using a towel can reintroduce bacteria which may cause your flowers to wilt quickly
WHY SHOULD STEMS BE TRIMMED
Flower stems dry out most times and they will be thirsty on arrival. Remember to cut about 2-3cm from the bottom of the stems at a 45-degree angle.
That will stop the stems from resting on the bottom of the vase and allows flowers better water uptake to the buds from the stems.
Remove any foliage that will sit below the waterline, as this will build up debris in the vase.
TOP TIP: cut the stems with sharp scissors, and cut thick-stemmed flowers such as amaryllis with a sharp knife.
Blunt scissors can crush the stems and prevent the flowers from sucking water properly.
HOW TO ADD WATER TO A VASE
Avoid using hot or cold water, this can shock delicate flowers. Fill the vase two-thirds with fresh lukewarm water, flowers will drink this more quickly.
If needed, leave the filled vase to sit to allow the water to reach room temperature and let any air bubbles escape.
Add your flower food or homegrown substitute. Flowers food contains sugar to feed the flowers and bleach which slows the growth of algae and bacteria.
Algae stop the stems from drinking water.
BEST PLACE TO KEEP FLOWERS TO MAKE THEM LAST
Fresh flowers last longer in a controlled or air-conditioned environment. To prevent flowers from drying out and wilting, keep them away from hot places and heat sources.
Avoid exposing the fresh flower to direct sunlight or on top of radiators. If you place them near a window, the flowers can quickly get damaged.
TOP TIP: keep your flowers away from the fruit bowl, especially if it contains apples. Apples and other fruit give off ethylene gas which causes flowers to wilt.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE WATER BE CHANGED
Top up the water every other day and change it immediately if you notice the water has turned cloudy. Even with flower food,
Bacteria builds up in the vase and can block the stems, preventing the flowers from drinking water properly.
Remove any dead or wilting stems from the arrangement, clean the vase with hot water and salt with soapy water and rinse thoroughly before refilling.
As much as fresh flowers makes us happy and loved, they need attention and care in return.
Yes they are cut flowers, but that doesn’t mean they are dead. They are still very much alive and they need attention, care and love from us to keep them alive and it not just about caring for them, but also fully understanding what it means to take care for them.
Let us know in the comment sections other care tips that will be useful for caring for flowers.
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