How Do You Make Your Cut Flowers Last Longer?

We all love to get a rose for Valentine’s Day or a bouquet as a sign of attention. Cut flowers can look so beautiful and cheer up our home. Flowers in a vase elevate the space and bring a little nature into it. Unfortunately, cut flowers wither very quickly, but there are ways to extend their lifespan and help them look fresh longer. So how do you make your cut flowers last longer?

To make your cut flowers last longer you need to cut the stem and remove any leaves below the waterline. For the flowers to last as long as possible, it is necessary to put them in water to which you can add ingredients that will nourish the flower. Don’t put the vase in a place that is exposed to direct sunlight or heat.

How Do You Make Your Cut Flowers Last Longer

For a flower to survive and grow, it needs nutrients. These nutrients are provided from the soil through the root system. Once a flower is cut off from the rest of the plant, its nutrient supply is severed, so it no longer gets the nutrients it needs to survive. Therefore, the flower will certainly die at some point, but if you know the right tricks, you can prolong its life a bit.

How do I take care of cut flowers?

Once you get the flowers or cut them yourself, put them in water as soon as possible.

Before you put them in the water, look at how the flowers are cut. The flowers should be cut at an angle so that they can absorb as much water as possible. If the flowers are cut straight they will just fall to the bottom of the vase and will not be able to receive water. Cut a little bit again every few days to make the flowers survive longer.

Remove all the leaves located on the lower part of the stem so that they are not in the water. If you leave it in water, the leaves will rot which will lead to the growth of bacteria and your flower will wither faster. You can also see if there are petals on your bouquet or flower that have started to wither. If there are, remove them. Every day, check for petals or leaves that have begun to wither and remove them if you notice them.

Also, make sure the flowers always have enough water. Never place flowers in the dirty vase. Avoid putting the vase in direct sunlight or near radiators to prevent wilting. Be sure to change the water every two to three days to prevent bacteria from growing and to allow your flowers to always have fresh water.

To make your cut flowers last longer, you can use a trick with hair spray. Simply move away from the bouquet and spray with hair spray the underside of the leaves and petals. Hair spray will allow the flower to look fresh, and at the same time will strengthen its leaves and petals that will last longer.

What water temperature should I use for cut flowers?

Most people make a huge mistake and put cut flowers in a vase with cold water because they think that cold water will keep the flowers fresh, but this is not true. It needs heat to bloom, so it needs to be put in warm water. It is recommended that the water temperature is between about 37 ° C and 44 ° C.

The cold outside temperature will help the flower to wither more slowly. After you put the flowers in warm water, find a cool place in your home where you will put the flowers. It is certainly important that the flowers are not exposed to direct heat or sun, because this will speed up the growth of bacteria, and thus shorten the life of the flower. To make your cut flower look fresh, you can spray it with water from time to time.

Should I change water every day?

You don’t have to change the water just every day, but it would be good to change the water every two to three days. Stagnant water allows the development of bacteria that can then attack the flowers and shorten their lifespan, so it is important that the flowers are always in freshwater.

Also, don’t forget that the vase must always be clean. Before changing the water, wash the vase, and only then fill it with fresh water.

Should I add something to the water?

When the flowers are cut off, we break their connection with the root and thus deprive it of food and nutrients necessary for life. Cut flowers will not last forever, but we can prolong its life if we add certain nutrients to the water.

To prolong the life of the flower instead of fresh water in a vase we can put soda. Simply put 1/4 cup of soda into the vase. Soda is full of sugar that will feed the cut flower and prolong life a bit.

You can also put plain sugar in the water, which will give the cut flower the necessary nutrients. Sugar, however, cannot defend flowers from bacteria so it is good to use it in combination with vinegar. Add one and a half teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoon of vinegar per liter of water. Stir well, then put the flowers in the mixture.

To prevent the growth of bacteria, you can add a few drops of lemon juice to the water. You can also pour a little lemonade into the water because lemonade is both sour and sweet at the same time. The acid will fight the bacteria and prevent their development while the sugar will successfully feed the fresh flower.

If you don’t have lemonade at home, you can mix 2 tablespoons of apple vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir well and dissolve the sugar in vase water, then add the cut flowers. This mixture affects the flowers in the same way as lemonade and thus helps the flower to last longer.

If you have some vodka in the house, add it to a vase. The alcohol in vodka will prevent the formation of bacteria. Vodka has been shown to slow down the production of ethylene, that is, the gas that a flower emits. Be sure to add a little sugar to the water to allow food for your cut flower.

You can also add aspirin to the water. The salicylic acid contained in aspirin will keep the water fresh and will not allow harmful microorganisms to spread in it, thus killing the plant. Simply dissolve an aspirin tablet in water before placing the flowers in the water. Add a new aspirin tablet each time you change the water. Aspirin, however, does not provide the flower with nutrients, so don’t forget to add a little sugar to the water.

The charcoal will help keep the water clean longer and prevent bacteria from multiplying. In addition to charcoal, you can also add activated charcoal in tablets to the water with flowers.

You can also add manganese to the water. If you decide to put manganese, don’t pour the crystals into a vase. Before adding the flower, first, dissolve the crystals in a small amount of water so that they do not settle to the bottom of the vase, and when the crystals dissolve, add the flowers.

Silver also successfully destroys microorganisms and prevents their development, so you can add it to water with flowers. You can also add a copper penny and a little sugar to the vase, which will prevent the development of bacteria and feed the cut flowers.

Although this method is not used often, putting a few drops of glycerin in water can significantly prolong the life of a cut flower.

Some recommend adding bleach to the water to keep the water clean and to prevent stems from rotting. Although it has not been confirmed that this method works if you want to try adding it, add only a small amount of bleach into the vase so as not to ruin the flowers. Never put bleach if the vase is made of zinc or metal as you will cause a chemical reaction and destroy the flowers.

Should I cut the stem to make them last longer?

Yes, that should be the first thing you do before you put the flowers in a vase. Cutting steam will prolong the life of the cut flower and help them stay healthy. Before cutting the flowers, clean it of any dirt so as not to spoil the water in the vase. We have already mentioned that the flowers need to be cut at an angle so that they can get enough water. Cut it at least two inches to remove the dried part and allow the flower to receive water. It is best to use garden secateurs or sharp scissors for cutting so as not to crush the stem.