Tips for Extending the Lifetime of Freshly Cut Flowers

Fresh flowers anyone? A bouquet of freshly cut flowers, such as lilies, have been delivered to your home by your local florist, but you do not know how to make it last longer. Even though fresh flowers add some life to your interior space, they require care to avoid drooping over time. Flower enthusiasts need to read the following tips to aid in extending the life of freshly cut flowers in their homes.

Water Level -- Water is the very elixir of life as far as fresh flowers are concerned. After receiving the flowers, place them in a vase and add water to it. Various types of flowers consume water differently; therefore, remember to add water to the jar regularly to maintain a given level. Also, note that a larger bouquet of freshly cut flowers will take more water than a smaller bouquet. As such, in the next few days, keep checking the level to keep the flowers as fresh as they can get. Besides, tap water has high alkaline levels, which creates a thriving environment for the growth of bacteria. The bacteria cause the flowers to wilt since the stems fail to absorb sufficient water. As a remedy, add an acidifying agent to the water. Similarly, florists advise you to use filtered water to keep the flowers fresh for longer.

Flower Food – Apart from water, fresh flowers require some ingredients to prevent attack by bacteria, which impinge on the health of the flowers in the next couple of days. You can add various ingredients that are readily available in your home to the flower water, for instance, malt vinegar, lemonade, sugar, bleach, and aspirin. If you prefer something different, you might purchase commercial flower food or use one that is provided by your florist. Most of the time, florists deliver flower food with the bouquet. The package comes with instructions that should be followed strictly to avoid harming the flowers or introducing bugs into the vase.

Store in a Cool and Dry Place -- For fresh flowers to last for days without losing their freshness, they must be stored in spaces that have cold temperatures of between 17 to 22 degrees Celsius. Never place fresh flowers facing direct sunlight or in spots that have extreme temperatures such as near vents, windows, fans, and radiators. Flowers wither faster when stored in these areas. Florists also recommend that you keep the flower bouquet away from ripening fruits because of the presence of ethylene gas that leads to fast wilting and loss of petal color.