Keep cut flowers fresh longer

The best thing about having your own flower garden is having fresh bouquets on all your tables and window sills. BUT you don’t want wilting, icky bouquets. You want your fresh flowers to last as long as possible. While working in a wholesale flower shop, I gathered some decent cut flower tips…

Only pick flowers right before placing them in a vase: At the flower shop I worked with we considered the lifespan of picked flowers super short; as in under a week. If roses didn’t sell within a week, we’d send them back to the farm for compost. Flowers after being cut are basically dying right away. If you need a beautiful bouquet for a party, picking your flowers should be something you do right before the event. IF you need open blooms fast, place the flowers in warm water.

Use only clean vases and other containers: Many gardening and floral books say you should only put flowers in bleach cleaned vases. I’m not a bleach supporter, plus research shows that hot water does clean. Your goal is to clean any mold spores out because obviously mold is not good for flowers. Also, after washing rinse your vases well, as soap can change the water conditions.

Never submerge leaves in the water: Any foliage below the water line should be removed because they can introduce bacteria and slime you don’t want to the water, which in turn smells funky and can kill flowers.

Cut flowers like room temp: Flowers hate being on something hot; i.e. a too sunny window, on top of an appliance, and so on. They also don’t love drafts. Try to keep your vases placed in an area that’s moderate.

Hardy stems need a good smashing: If you pound on the ends of woody or thick stems – think lilacs they can absorb more water and last longer.

The best food is flower food: While you may hear rumors about pennies, bleach, and other stuff making flowers last longer, the best choice is actual cut flower food; or so every single flower shop and nursery worker I’ve known has said. If you buy at a flower shop, you usually get a small packet. If you pick flowers at home, you can buy some flower preservatives at a local nursery or home & garden shop.

[image via stock.xchng]