A bouquet of flowers can make for a lovely gift. This is true for a wide range of occasions, from anniversaries, to birthdays, or even for a wide assortment of major life accomplishments. You can also simply get someone a bouquet of flowers as a nice surprise.
There is no question that flowers can make for a beautiful addition to virtually any space. However, this is somewhat offset by the unshakeable knowledge that your bouquet will eventually die.
However, while this is inevitable, there are tons of things you can do to keep cut flowers fresh longer.
7 Tips For Keeping Your Flowers Fresh Longer
You can actually extend the lifespan of even cut flowers to a significant degree. To that end, we have assembled our 7 best tips for extending the freshness of your cut flowers:
- Basic care: A few simple measures will always work to keep your flowers fresher and lovelier for longer periods of time. Cutting one or two inches of the stems at an angle is a good example of what we are talking about. This allows for better intake of water. Re-cutting once every few days is recommended, as well. Pruning leaves below the water line, flower food, and careful watering with room temp water will also prove invaluable.
- Soda: Believe it or not, but adding roughly one-fourth of a cup of soda to your vase of flowers in water can be highly beneficial. It can actually help the blossoms to last a good deal longer. If you don’t want to change the color of the water in the vase, use a clear soda.
- A cool room: Your flowers are going to do best in a cool room with minimal sunlight. Some sunlight is obviously important, but you want to avoid direct placement at all costs. You don’t want a room that’s too warm, but you should also make sure your flowers are away from drafts.
- Keep the fruit away: Imagine getting a beautiful bouquet of flowers from someone special. You take them into the kitchen to set them up in a vase with water. Where should they go? That is ultimately up to you, but keep in mind that fruit releases tiny portions of what is known as ethylene gas. This gas can actually lower the lifespan of a bouquet of flowers. This is particularly true if they are placed in close proximity to one another.
- Apple cider vinegar with sugar: This is another simple around-the-house mix that can work wonders. Start by combining two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with two tablespoons of sugar. These should be added to the vase prior to putting the flowers in. The vinegar is going to be useful as an antibacterial agent. The sugar is going to provide your plant with a vital food source.
- Vodka with sugar: This is another way to keep flowers fresh longer that may surprise you. A few drops of vodka can diminish the potential for unwanted bacteria in your water. This is the same bacteria that can cause your flowers to deteriorate more quickly. Combine these few drops of vodka with a spoonful of sugar. Once again, you are not only providing your flowers with a viable food source, but you are also making them stronger.
- Bleach: This is another tip where only a very small amount is going to be necessary. 1/4th of a teaspoon of bleach will not only take care of unwanted bacteria, but it will also keep the water in the vase from becoming too cloudy.
Conclusion
These are just a few ways in which to make the most of a lovely bouquet of flowers.
