How to Keep Flowers Fresh: 8 Tips & Tricks to Try
Fresh cut flowers don’t last forever, but they bring a lot of joy that you’ll want to last for as long as possible. If you’ve ordered a bouquet of our farm-fresh flowers and are wondering how to keep them looking beautiful, this guide will outline a few of our best kept secrets. While we do everything we can to prepare our flowers for a longer lifespan, the rest is up to you!
Why Our Ecuadorian Bouquets Last Longer
Without any intervention, our premium Ecuadorian flowers are known for their extra long vase life. Their hardy nature comes from the unique environmental factors on our eco-farm. Grown on the side of the Cayambe Volcano at high altitudes, our flowers take longer to grow full and strong, but when they do, they stay that way for far longer than a traditional flower. Everything from the nutrients in the fertile volcanic soil to the 12 hours of sunshine per day prepares them for a long, healthy life.
Our bouquets are consciously harvested to order, meaning that we don’t cut any flowers until you’ve chosen your bouquet. After being harvested, they are immediately transferred to a temperature-controlled cold room where they will hydrate for twelve hours to seal in maximum freshness.
Essential Tips for You to Try at Home
1. Cut the Stems at a 45° Angle
Before putting your bouquet into water, cut the stems at a 45° angle. This maximizes the surface area where water will be absorbed. After the initial cut, you should aim to recut the stems every time you change the water.
2. Add Flower Food to the Water
Containing nutrients your flowers need to stay healthy, a packet of flower food will keep your flowers fresh for as long as possible.
3. Remove Leaves Below the Water Line
Leaves that touch the water will quickly wilt and die, so be sure to remove them before placing your flowers in their vase. Not only do wilting leaves look bad, but they create a breeding ground for bacteria that will result in your flowers wilting faster.
4. Avoid the Sun, Heat, and Humidity
To preserve their freshness longer, keep your blooms away from direct sunlight. Exposure to sunlight, heat, and even humidity can cause flowers to wilt or discolor.
5. Change Your Water Often
Changing your flowers’ water every other day will refresh them and extend their vase life.
6. Refrigerate your Flowers at Night
Just as we refrigerate your flowers before they are sent, you too can do the same overnight to preserve your flowers. Cooler temperatures work to slow down the life cycle of your flowers. If you don’t have a refrigerator large enough to accommodate your flowers, you can try putting a few ice cubes in their water every day.
7. Remove Dying Flowers
Depending on the type of flower, some will inevitably last longer than others. It’s really important that you remove the dying flowers to keep your bouquet fresh. The dead flowers will take up valuable water and nutrients that could go to your healthy flowers. Plus, they don’t look good.
8. Put a Penny in the Water
As copper is a natural fungicide, putting a penny in a vase of flowers will help keep the water fresh longer by preventing the growth of bacteria and mold.
While we were once the gardeners of your blooms, now it’s up to you to tend to their needs. Using your green thumb, try these simple ideas at home and let us know how they did!