How to keep flowers fresh longer? Which vase to choose, where to put it and the optimal water temperature for the bouquet. 10 helpful tips and video tips. Nothing cheers up and decorates the interior of a room like fresh cut flowers in a vase from a loved one, admirer, friends and relatives. Having received a beautiful bouquet, you so want it to please the eye longer. And how sad it is when flowers quickly lose their beauty and attractiveness. A few useful and proven tips below will help extend the life of a bouquet and keep it fresh and beautiful for longer.
How to choose a vase for a bouquet of fresh flowers?
To make the flowers comfortable, they should be placed in a vase of the right size and shape:
- For a voluminous bouquet, take a vase with a wide cylindrical neck. It is more stable, and thanks to the wide neck, the stems will receive more air.
- If the bouquet consists of 5-7 branches, then an oblong narrow vase will do.
- The container material should be opaque: tinted glass or ceramics. Water quickly heats up in a transparent vase, which creates a favorable atmosphere for the reproduction of microbes.
- The selected vase must be clean, without traces of previous bouquets. Otherwise, the water will quickly deteriorate and the bouquet will wither.
- Submerge the stems in water at least 1/3 part.
Where to put a bouquet of flowers in a vase?
Location is an important factor in prolonging the life of flowers. Therefore, you need to choose the right place for them.
- Flowers do not like warmth and direct sunlight. Place them away from the heater, in a cool, dark place with moderate humidity. The ideal air temperature is 16-18 ° С.
- The vase should not be in a draft, so place the bouquet away from doors, windows and an air conditioner.
- Flowers will lose their fragrance and wither quickly if there are other plants near them. Roses, carnations, orchids, lilies of the valley, lilies, daffodils, poppies … put in separate vases.
- Do not leave fresh bouquets for a long time in smoking areas, with polluted air and near a parking lot.
- Keep flowers away from fruit containers. They release ethylene gas, which accelerates the decay process.
How to prepare fresh flowers before dipping in a vase?
There is an opinion that the bouquet should be placed as quickly as possible in a vase of water. However, it is very stressful for flowers if they are brought from cold or heat. They should be gradually adapted to the room temperature. Therefore, leave them lying in the room and only then remove the packaging and place in a vase. In doing so, follow the recommendations:
- Dip the stems in a bucket of water for 1-2 hours so that they are saturated with moisture.
- Cut each branch with a knife 3-4 cm at an angle of 45 degrees, without removing it from the water, so that air does not get inside the stem. This will extend the life of the bouquet. The knife should be sharpened so that it does not pinch the stem and damage the fabric. Cut thick stems with garden shears.
- Move the peel on the stem 2–3 cm from the edge for maximum moisture.
- Peel off excess leaves from the part of the stem that will be submerged in water, and cut off thorns from roses. As the leaves begin to rot on contact with water, the water becomes cloudy and takes on a putrid odor.
These tips should also be applied to pre-purchased roses that need to be stored for 1-2 days. After the manipulations done, the flowers can be wrapped in paper and placed in the refrigerator. There they will remain fresh and will not wither without water.
Water temperature in the fresh flower vase
For cut flowers, the quality and temperature of the water is of great importance. In order for the bouquet to delight its owner longer, you need to place it in “suitable” water.
- It is not recommended to use running tap water. The best option is distilled water or distilled water for 1–2 hours without sediment.
- The temperature is selected depending on the season. In summer, use cool water of 12-15 degrees, and in winter, use room water.
10 tips to keep flowers fresh in a vase
- Change the water daily, cut the stems 1–1.5 cm and rinse the cut.
- Spray the flowers with a spray bottle with clean water, while no obvious drops of water should fall on the buds, otherwise the flowers will begin to rot.
- Add 0.5 aspirin tablets to a 1 liter vase of water. Instead of aspirin, citric acid (0.5 tsp), or vinegar and sugar (1 tbsp each) or potassium permanganate on the tip of a knife are suitable. These products will destroy microorganisms in the water and prevent decay.
- Dip copper coins or a silver object into the vase. They act as an oxidizing agent, slow down the growth of harmful microorganisms and keep flowers fresh for longer.
- New buds will open faster if you remove old and dried flowers and pour a little vodka into a vase.
- Use preservatives purchased from a gardening store or make your own. They contain biocides that prevent the spread of bacteria. A universal preservative is a mixture of bleach (1-2 drops) with citrus soda (1 part per 3 liters of water), which contains acid and sugar.
- Fix the petals of the buds and the lower part of the leaves with a strong fixing varnish. This will not prevent wilting, but it will help keep the flowers looking beautiful.
- Roses will be protected from decay - charcoal or glycerin, which are placed in a vase of water.
- Shorten the tulip stems by 1 cm each morning and submerge them in ice water.
- Treat the slices of gerberas and calla lilies with salt, and dip the stems of cloves in alcohol for 5-10 seconds.
Using the collection of these tips, a fresh cut flower bouquet in a vase will last significantly longer. And the video below will clearly show you how to apply recipes in action.
How to save cut flowers:
How to revive wilted roses:
How to extend the life of a bouquet:
How to keep flowers fresh for a long time:
