In this week’s post, we give you the keys to keeping your flowers fresh for as long as possible.
We all love receiving flowers as gifts or buying them to decorate our homes, but to enjoy them for as long as possible, it’s very important to know how to care for them properly. Interested in this topic? Then this is the post for you.
- Although it may seem obvious, the first task is to remove the wrapping from the bouquet if it has one; this will allow the flowers to breathe better by improving air circulation between them.
- Thoroughly clean the stems of all flowers and greenery, removing any leaves that might be in contact with the water in your vase. Also, remove any flowers and leaves that appear damaged, even if they are not in contact with the water.
- Cut the stems at a slant (diagonally), as this provides the flowers with a larger surface area to absorb water. For woody stems, also make a vertical cut at the base. Repeat this process every three days.
- Place the flowers in a vase with room-temperature water (neither hot, as this would accelerate the wilting process, nor too cold).
- Try not to overfill the vase so that air can circulate well between the flowers.
- Place your flowers in a location away from direct sunlight and drafts.
- Renew the water in your vase every two days, and if you can do it every day, even better.
- Additionally, if you’d like extra help, there are flower preservatives available on the market that you can use. Other homemade preservatives include sugar, vinegar, or an aspirin dissolved in water.
Tips for keeping natural flowers alive
If you’ve bought or received a bouquet of flowers, remove the paper or plastic wrapping florists often use to protect the plants. Then, cut the stems diagonally and remove any excess leaves.
Next, place the flowers in a vase with water that covers 7 to 10 cm of the bottom of the stems. The water should be lukewarm for cut flowers and cold for bulbs or roses. Change the water daily.
Regularly trimming the stem tip will facilitate the absorption of water and nutrients directly into the flower, making it look more beautiful and vibrant. It’s also advisable to place them in a naturally lit spot so they receive indirect sunlight, and at night, move them to a cool location.
Other types of flowers require specific care to preserve them, such as roses. To keep a rose fresh longer, you’ll need to trim its stem and thorns and change the water regularly; cold water is best.
There are other curious tricks, such as putting an aspirin or a quarter cup of soda in the water to provide mineral salts to the plant, or also putting them in a silver vase, since this helps to stop the proliferation of bacteria that can attack the flower.
I hope this post has been helpful and that you can keep your flowers looking beautiful at home for longer. See you soon!