So you have a gorgeous bouquet, and you want to keep those flowers looking great for as long as possible. What can you do? Is it enough to just drop them in a vase with water? Maybe if you just need them for a day or two. But flowers need a little extra help to last longer in their beautiful full bloom (especially in our Sydney heat). The good news is it’s super easy to have flowers that last at least a week – with a few simple steps.
Basic steps to make flowers last longer
- Trim an inch off the bottom of each stem with clean, sharp scissors.
- Cover ⅓ of the flower’s stems with water in your vase. No leaves should be under the water line, so trim with scissors if needed.
- Add a preservative mix to the water.
- Plan to change the water and preservative mix every other day for best results.
Preservative mixes keep flowers fresh
The goal of a preservative is to mimic the nourishment flowers receive from the soil, while minimizing bacteria and ethylene – a naturally occurring gas that makes flowers bloom and (unfortunately) wilt. Nothing can truly replace the nourishment flowers get from the soil, or else we would be able to keep our bouquets fresh forever – wouldn’t that be nice! But flower food packets do a good job of replicating the three main things needed to keep flowers fresher longer:
- Sugar: Feeds blooms and mimics photosynthesis, also increases bacteria growth.
- Biocide: Kills bacteria.
- Acids: Helps water flow up the flower’s stem.
Don’t have a flower food packet handy? No worries! Read our how-to guide on making your own flower preservatives with common household items.
Bonus tips for longer lasting bouquets
- Keep the flowers in the fridge overnight if you want them to last even longer than a week.
- Make sure to keep the flowers away from ripening fruit. They give off ethylene gas, too.
- Try spraying your blooms with a light mist of hairspray.
- Prevent flower dehydration by keeping the flowers away from sources of heat, including direct sunlight.
Once you’ve cut the stems and filled the vase with water and preservatives, you can expect to have a fresh bouquet in your house for days to come.
Want more bouquet tips? Our blog is always fresh with inspiration.
