Long Lasting Blooms: Keeping Your Cut Flowers Fresher, Longer
Posted on: 27 June 2016
Even the gloomiest of days can be brightened considerably by a bouquet of fresh flowers. The colors, scents and appearance of something natural and fresh can enhance both moods and decor, but often you may be concerned about the fleeting nature of cut flowers. Did you know that there are several things you can do to make your cut flower bouquet last longer? Read on for some easy and inexpensive tips to create more lasting blooms.
Begin by carefully cutting.
You can think of a flower stem as a waterway that brings nutrients up through the stems. Flowers that come to you already cut will have formed a water bubble at the cut, blocking anything from entering the stem. You can circumvent this issue by immersing the stems in water, such as in your sink, and re-cutting the stems at an angle to make the opening a little wider, allowing more water and nutrients to enter the stem. Make sure to use a clean, freshly-washed vase and fresh water to display your blooms. You find a glass vase wholesale online or at a local flower shop.
Add the extra supplements.
Everyone has likely wondered about those mysterious little packets of white powder that often accompany a bouquet of flowers. This powder is usually a mixture of acid, sugar and biocide. The acid helps the water to move up the stem, the sugar acts as a food and the biocide helps to kill bacteria. Bacteria can form on the cut ends of stems, blocking the flow and causing flower wilting and death.
Make it yourself.
You probably have everything you need to make your own floral preservative in your pantry:
- Mouthwash: This is an all-in-one preserver that provides the 3 essential ingredients: acid, sugar and bactericide.
- Sugar: a food source.
- Aspirin: an acid source.
- Copper penny: a natural biocide.
- Lemon-lime soda: sugar and acid.
- Bleach: use ½ t for a biocide.
General tips to make your flowers last longer.
1. Make sure to keep the water fresh by changing it at least every other day. When changing the water, pay special attention to rinsing or wiping off the stems to ensure that nothing is clogging the water and nutrient channel.
2. It may surprise you to know that keeping your cut flowers near certain types of fruits can cause your stems to rot. Apples, bananas and other fruits and vegetables can release ethylene gas, which can hasten your blooms' demise.
3. Keep you fresh blooms far away from heat sources like heaters, fireplaces, direct sunlight and vents. You may also need to consider how much heat most appliances give off when placing your vase.
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