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6 Ways to Prolong the Life of Your Cut Flowers

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Having flowers in your house feels great and can contribute to a very beautiful space. Whether you like different types of orchids or any number of other flowers, they can bring a lot of brightness, color, and happiness into your home. They look great everywhere and with so many options, you can certainly find one that you adore.

With options like local flower delivery, it is easier than ever to get your hands on your favorite flowers, as well. Unfortunately, many cut flowers will not last more than a couple of days before they start to wilt and show signs of deterioration.

While this will eventually happen to all flowers, there are some ways to slow down the process and give your flowers the strength to push forward for a little while longer. With that in mind, this blog post is going to go over a few different ways to prolong the life of your cut flowers.

Make Sure the Vase is Clean

First things first, you need to make sure that the vase you are going to put the flowers in is clean. If the vase is dirty, it not only looks bad, but the bacteria can have a negative impact on the health of your flowers in the long term.

Flowers simply do better in clean water and without any forgeign bacteria to potentially impact their lifespan. Even if your vase has simply been sitting unused for a while, it’s a good idea to give it a good wash and rinse before putting plants or flowers in it.

Trim the Stem Before Putting Them in a Vase

One of the most crucial aspects when it comes to prolonging the life of your flowers is to trim the stem before submerging the flower in water. Many people forget to do this, and it can significantly limit how long your flowers will stay alive.

Once you get the flowers, make a diagonal cut at the stem a couple of inches up. This fresh cut makes it much easier for the flower to absorb enough water to keep itself thriving. If you simply put the flowers straight into the watered vase without trimming, they won’t last nearly as long. Consider re-trimming the stems after a couple days, as well.

Don’t Forget to Prune

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In addition to trimming the stem, that isn’t the only maintenance work you will need to do on the flowers before putting them in the vase. You should also prune the flower stem and remove the leaves if possible. In particular, you want to remove leaves that are below the water line.

Not only do these leaves in the water look bad and can lead to more bacteria finding its way into the water, but also ensures that these leaves don’t take precious water away from the bloom itself. Be sure to check the flowers often for loose leaves or petals that are nearly falling off, to make sure they don’t find their way into the water.

Feed Your Flowers

While water is the most important aspect when it comes to keeping flowers alive, don’t forget to feed them. Flower food helps to nourish the flowers, as well as assist when it comes to water absorption. Flowers can survive without flower food, but it certainly helps them last longer.

Many flowers you buy will come with a little packet of flower food which can be added and mixed with the water before putting the flowers in. However, you can also make your own flower food if you are up for it. Flower food is actually quite simple to make, and if you have bleach, citric acid, and sugar, you can make it yourself.

Ensure They Have Enough Water

Of course, another major part of helping your cut flowers last longer is to make sure they have enough water. They need water to live and thrive, and if they go without it even for a while, it can dramatically lower how long they will continue to look good. Take time to check the water level in your vases every couple of days, and add a bit more when need be.

However, each flower and plant is slightly different when it comes to how much water they need, and how often they should be watered. Be sure to do a little research on the types of flowers you want to have in your home, so you have a better sense of their needs and how to best care for them.

In addition to making sure your flowers are always watered, it is a good idea to change the water out of the vase every couple of days. The longer water sits there and becomes cloudy, the more bacteria will clog up the flower and prevent them from taking in as much water as they need.

Watch Where You Put the Flowers

Where you put the flowers in your home also plays a major role when it comes to how long they live. While you might think that it’s a good idea to put your flowers right in the sun, this is normally not a good idea.

The heat from the sun can actually lead to the flowers dehydrating much quicker, which will surely lead to a shorter life. In a similar vein, keep flowers away from heating vents and other things that can produce a lot of heat.

Also, as strange as it may sound, you may want to keep your cut flowers away from fruits that may sit out in your home. Many fruits release a gas as they ripen, which can lower the lifespan of your flowers.

We hope that this article has been able to help you learn a little more about some of the ways to prolong the life of your cut flowers. These tips take barely any time and effort, but can have a significant impact on the longevity of your cut flowers.

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