There's nothing like a bunch of fresh flowers to brighten a home. Whether they're a gift from a loved one or a treat for yourself, taking good care of your fresh flowers can extend their lifespan and keep them looking beautiful for longer.
Here's a simple guide to help you get the most out of your fresh flowers.
Wet Wrap the Flowers
The journey home can be a tough one for fresh flowers. To ensure they stay hydrated and undamaged, you can wet wrap them. Essentially this means putting a water source on the stems in the form of some wet paper.
At locations where our posies are sold, you'll find some newspaper and home compostable bags on the counter provided for this purpose.
Simply wrap the ends of the stems in a piece of newspaper, dunk them in a bucket to get the paper wet, and pop it all into the baggie. This helps to keep your flowers fresh and hydrated until you get them safely home.
Cut the Stems
Once you get home, use sharp scissors to snip off the bottom inch of the stems. Cutting the stems helps the flowers to take up more water, which they need to keep them looking fresh and vibrant.
Put into a Clean Container
After cutting the stems, pop the freshly cut flowers into a vase or other container of fresh, clean water.
Dirty water and vases can hold bacteria that blocks the stems and reduces vase life.
A good rule to remember is: if you wouldn't drink it or from it, your flowers shouldn't either.
Location, Location, Location
You might be surprised to learn that cut flowers don't need light - in fact it can be harmful to them.
Keep your flowers somewhere cool and out of direct light.
Direct sunlight can cause your flowers to wilt quickly. Also, be mindful of keeping your blooms out of the path of air conditioning or heating as these can have detrimental drying effects.
Change and Clean
To ensure your flowers last longer, change the water and clean your vase every other day. When you change the water, cut another inch from the bottom of your stems to let them have another big drink. This will keep them hydrated and help them to stay fresh for longer.
Play With the Flowers
Different flowers have different vase lives. Don't be afraid to snip wilted blooms or pull stems that aren't looking their best to continue enjoying those that last longer. This not only keeps your bouquet looking its best, but it also gives you the chance to enjoy the process of caring for your flowers.
Enjoy the Flowers
Remember, flowers are living things and to get maximum vase life they need a little care and attention.
With these simple steps, you can keep your fresh flowers looking beautiful and continue to enjoy them for as long as possible.
