Getting flowers as a gift means that you will have a little work to do, and that must be done as soon as they arrive. I remember getting flowers and leaving them in the wrapping for a few days or getting them and not taking care of them, so they died.
I want to ensure that does not happen to you, so I am going to share with you some things I have found out about taking care of flowers so you can prolong their life.
Make sure to wash the vase before using it, you will be surprised of the material and particles that can sit in an empty vase that can kill your flowers. Especially since most of the time we tend to store them under the sink where all our household chemicals are.
I cut down the stems of the flowers, using a pair of scissors or shears cut off about an inch of the stem in an angle, depending on the vase. For a tall vase less cutting is key, for a small/short vase you will need to cut off a substantial portion of the stem of course. I place the flowers in the vase I am using to test it before I fill it with water, to measure the stems.
Use warm room temperature water for your fresh flowers and add the package of plant food that comes inside the bouquet and stir it in the water before adding the flowers. If you do not get a package of plant food here is a good recipe: 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of bleach (yes bleach), 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar per quart of water.
Place flowers in your prepared vase! You can add any color and any type of flower, but I use Roses on my dining room table, in the living room and in my bedroom, Tulips, or a mixture of flowers for my kitchen table.
Additional tips:
Warning! DO NOT keep fresh cut flowers in the WINDOW, the direct sunlight will destroy them. This was a major lesson that I learned about fresh flowers. I would set mine on the kitchen cabinet in front of the window and wondered why they died so fast, so keep them in a cool room.
Pruning the flowers and dead leaves that are falling off is key, so make sure to check the petals and leaves for dead ones and break them off. During the week also pluck them from the water and continue to prune.
Make sure to repeat these steps a few times a week to keep your flowers fresh all season long and you will see that you will get your money’s worth, and continued enjoyment of your flowers.