Receiving breathtakingly beautiful flowers as presents from your loved ones is always delightful. They bring an instant smile on your face, cheer up any space and fill it with beauty and positivity. But the truth is that freshly cut flowers don’t last forever and wilt eventually. If you put some efforts and follow smart tips, you can make the fresh and beautiful flowers last longer. And as long as they survive, they will keep adorning your abode with their gorgeousness and charm.
So here are a few pro tricks to take care of fresh flowers and make them last longer.
Keep Flowers in Warm Water
As soon as you bring fresh flowers home, it is important to keep your bouquet hydrated. Keep the flowers in warm water in a vase. Ensure to disinfect the vase by washing with a cleaning liquid. It will remove all the bacteria that may be present in the vase. Change the water in the vase regularly because if left for too long it can ruin the flowers. Do not over water the flowers as that may stunt their growth.
Cut the Stems
Always remember to cut the stems of the flowers using garden shears before putting them in the vase. Trim the stems one to two inches off and cut at a 45-degree angle. It will allow flowers to absorb water and essential nutrients. Don’t forget to re-trim the stems once every few days.
Prune the Leaves
Make sure you prune the leaves below the water line to prevent the bacterial growth. It will also make your bouquet or arrangement look better. After the initial pruning, check your flowers daily for the dead or wilted leaves and remove them as soon as possible to avoid any kind of bacterial decay. Also, some flowers have guard petals that include two or three outermost petals of the flowers. Removing those guard petals will allow your flowers to open up fully.
Prepare the Flower Food
To keep your flowers last longer, it is important to provide them with essential nutrients. Add two tablespoon of sugar in the water to provide nourishment to flowers to help them survive longer. You can also add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar in the water, which will act as a preservative for the flowers and keep the water fresh for an extended period of time preventing any kind of bacterial growth.
Avoid Direct Sunlight
To make the fresh flowers last longer, keep them in a room with the cool temperature. Avoid keeping them in the areas that receive direct sunlight or near the appliances that generate heat. Avoid areas like open windows, ceiling fans, and heating and cooling vents as they can dehydrate the flowers quickly. Make sure you never keep the flowers near fruits because ripening fruits release the small amount of ethylene gas that can reduce the life of fresh flowers.
The tips mentioned above, if followed wisely can make your fresh flowers last longer and let them spread beauty and fragrance in your house.
