Since today is Valentine’s Day and many of you will have gorgeous flower bouquets, I wanted to post a few quick tips to keep your flowers looking great.
I actually buy flowers pretty regularly at the store and here is what I do with just a simple grocery store bouquet:
1. Trim anything off the stems- any extra leaves etc… that might be submerged in water. If you leave that stuff on it gets gunky and makes the water smelly and nasty. So give the flowers a nice haircut.
2. Try to trim the stems about an inch from the bottom and cut at a 45 ° angle. (When you snip the stems to fit into a vase, try to use something other then standard scissors. Standard scissors are usually not strong enough for flower stems and can damage them. If you don’t have garden shears to use, your kitchen scissors might be a better option then regular scissors.)
The best thing is to actually trim the flowers under water but that can be messy and awkward so a good alternative is to just put them in water as quickly as you can.
3. Place your flowers in lukewarm water- with the exception of tulips (my favorite) those need cold water.
And when you are putting your flowers out, try to keep them away from fresh fruit and from direct sunlight. If you notice the flowers are starting to go a little limp, just take them out of the water and trim the stems. You can also submerge them in cold water and see if that helps to revive the blooms.
4. It is nice to have some sort of preservative in the water. The little packets that come with your flowers is great or you can try one aspirin, a multivitamin or a pinch of salt and baking soda. I have not tried this but if murky water is an issue for you, 1/4 teaspoon of bleach or vodka can help prevent that (for every liter of water) along with a teaspoon of sugar.
And remember to change the water every few days!
And a few tips for picking flowers at the store:
- Look for the freshest bouquet you can find.
- Firm petals and buds just beginning to open are great signs of fresh flowers.
- Any yellowing or droopy leaves are signs of age.
Does anyone else have great tips for keeping flowers looking great?
Jenn T says
Thanks for the tip on tulips in cold water-They’re also my favorite and I haven’t heard this before. How often should that water be changed since it has to be cold? Thanks again! Love your site!
Charlene says
Jenn just every few days like other flowers. You just don’t want them submerged in warm water.