Bringing flowers home and putting them on
display is a great way to liven up a room. The petals add color, and the
foliage brings a fresh burst of oxygen to the house. Whether you're
buying bouquets from the store or cutting them from your own garden,
it's easy to let the vase flowers lose life and die quickly. Here are a
few tips that will make your flowers last longer and keep your home
feeling vibrant and refreshed.
1. Keep it clean.
Gunk-free buckets, pruners and water will reduce the bacteria that clogs
stems and hastens rotting. The little packet that most florists hand
you with your bouquet is designed to destroy bacteria, so use it. If you
use it all or lose it, then try this at-home mixture: 2 tablespoons
white vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon household chlorine
bleach, 1 quart warm water. Mix and pour.
2. Ditch the scissors.
Use a sharp knife or garden shears to cut your flowers. Scissors just
squeeze and crush stems, setting you back and making the flowers even
worse than when you started.
3. Cut at an angle. By
cutting the bottom of your flower stems at an angle, you prevent them
from sitting flat against the bottom of the vase and blocking water
entry. By cutting off the bottom inch or two of the stems, you remove
the natural seal that formed when the stems were first cut at the
florist and remove any bacteria that could block the ends. It also
eliminates air bubbles that can form when the stem is first cut.
4. Short is good. Shorter
stems actually help. They allow water to get to the blooms more quickly
and easily, helping your flowers look vibrant for longer. Consider
getting short and wide vase to accommodate the shorter height.
5. Lose the leaves. Leaves,
while sometimes attractive, actually take energy away from the bloom of
the flower. Instead of water traveling directly to the bloom, it will
detour into the leaves, leaving less for the foliage. Also, don't leave
any foliage or leaves in the water itself. It will quickly break down
and turn to goo, which clogs water access to the stem. NEVER remove your
leaves with a scraping tool. It's too easy to damage the stem that way,
and pulling them lightly with your fingers will usually do the trick.
If not, use a well-sharpened razor or scalpel and cut the leaf stem as
close to the stem as possible.
6. Cut the heat: Room
temperature tap water is the happiest bath for most bouquets. Don't make
the water too cold, and don't make it too hot. Even lukewarm is too
much for the blooms to keep their refreshing glow.
7. Condition. Many
professionals will dip fresh-cut stems in a conditioner like Floralife
Quick Dip, which is an instant pretreatment hydration solution. Combine
this method with the pouch of floral preservative that came with your
flowers. Storing fresh-cut flowers for six hours in a cool corner of the
basement after doing this can triple the vase life. WARNING: Don't use
conditioner on stems cut from bulbs. This can damage the foliage.
8. Ditch the swamp water.
Gunk in your vase water will clog up the stems and reduce water access
to your flowers. If you're iffy about holding the bouquet out over the
sink while dumping the water and refilling it, then try this method:
Leave the flowers in the vase and hold it under the running faucet. As
the fresh water runs in, the old water will spill out. Do this until all
the gunk is gone.
9. Rinse the stems.
Regularly running your stems under room temperature water will keep them
refreshed and clean, decreasing the chance of bacteria buildup that can
damage or ruin your flowers. Consider running the foliage under the
water, as well, but keep the water on low pressure to avoid damage from
excess force. It will give your flowers a refreshed look and cool them
down if they've been overexposed to heat in your house.
At the end of the day, it's all about taking care of your flowers. By
treating them right and paying a little bit of attention to them, you
can have every room looking bright and lively at any time of year.