January 13, 2021

It’s happened to all of us: You’re gifted a beautiful bouquet or vase of flowers and within a few days they start wilting and dropping petals. Or perhaps you cut your own flowers fresh from your garden and suffer the same fate.

Depending on where your flowers came from (grocery store, flower shop, etc), they might actually be old and on their last leg — but more often than not, your flowers just need a little more pampering than you thought!

First, I’ll answer a burning question: Does that little packet of “flower food” really work?

Answer: Yes, it actually does. The flower food packets contain a blend of sugar, acid and chlorine that help respectively feed the flowers, maintain the pH level of the water, and prevent bacteria from growing in the water. I will argue though, that following Step #1 is much more effective in keeping your flower fresher, longer, than using those little packets!

Here are 9 tips for helping your flower arrangements and bouquets last longer

Change the water daily using clean, cold water
This is one of the simplest things we can do to keep our cut flowers lasting longer. Most people don’t realize that clean water is so important for cut flowers. Flower stems clog easily with bacteria, causing the stems to perish faster. Dumping the water and refreshing with clean, cold water daily will keep them hydrated and bacteria-free for longer.
If your flowers are arranged in a vase that is hard to dump, simply top the water off everyday.
Give your flowers a fresh cut
When changing the water, if your flowers are bouquet-style and easy to pick up out of the vase with one hand, you can snip 1/2-1” off the bottom of all the stems. Cut your stems at a 45 degree angle. This will help them suck up more of that clean, cold water and stay hydrated longer.
Clean your vase beforehand
This seems obvious, but you should always clean your vase with soap & water before adding loose flowers or a wrapped bouquet. It can be tempting to just pull it off the shelf and add water without cleaning, but even a small amount of dust is enough to clog those stems.
Remove all the foliage (leaves) from the stems that reach below the water line
This will already be done for you if you’ve received flowers from a florist; however, if you are arranging your own flowers, be sure to strip or remove all the foliage from the stems before adding them into the water. Anything other than stems in the water will rev up that bacteria growth. If you’ve ever wondered how your flower vase could possibly smell so bad it’s because there were decaying leaves sitting below water that was never changed out.
Related: Favorite Foliages We Grow
Keep your flower arrangement out of the sun
Flowers need lots of sun when they’re growing in the ground, but after cutting, nothing makes flowers wilt and discolor quicker than the heat of the sun. Keep your beautiful arrangement in a shady spot. Indirect light is totally fine.
Keep your flower arrangement away from heat vents, radiators, and warm areas
The number one reason why flowers perish quickly is due to the air temperature. Nothing is worse for flowers than sitting next to a heat vent, or on top of a radiator, or in a part of the house that is super hot with no AC. In the Summer months it can be tricky, but opt to keep your flower arrangement in the coolest place you can enjoy it.
Keep Narcissus & Hyacinth separate from other flowers after cutting
If you have Narcissus (Daffodils) or Hyacinth in your arrangement, refrain from giving them a fresh cut. These two flowers leak a sticky sap from the stem that will clog other flowers’ stems and prevent them from sucking up water (Rude!)
Related: On Planting Perennials
Know the “Dirty” Flowers
There are certain cut flowers that florists and flower farmers call “dirty” because their stems dirty the water quicker than other varieties — particular enzymes in the plants cause an explosion of bacterial growth. If you have these flowers in your arrangement, you should be diligent about changing the water daily.
The Dirties include: Sunflowers, Yarrow, Zinnias, Marigolds, Narcissus (Daffodils), Dahlias, Amaranth, Ornamental Kale, Snapdragons, Stock, Calendula, Feverfew, Bachelor Buttons, and Hyacinth.
When cutting from your garden, always cut early before the sun hits them
If you fancy growing your own cutting flowers, it’s incredibly important to cut only early in the morning or later in the evening. Never cut when the sun is out, or when it is hot or your flowers are sure to wilt. Post-cutting, hydrate your flowers in cold water either indoors or in the shade for 4 hours before using. This is what we flower farmers do!
Related: On New Life & Flower Farming