How To Prolong The Life Of Your Flower Arrangements

Decorating a room with freshly cut flowers can bring a stunning freshness and beauty to your indoor spaces, helping bring the colors and scents of nature into your home. However, your beautiful bouquet will usually go from looking stunning to wilting off in a matter of days, which can be quite disappointing. This article looks at simple tricks you can employ to prolong the life of your blooms. 

Recut the stems and add water

Typically, water is the main ingredient that keeps flower leaves and stems rigid and fresh, so you should never let water levels in the vase dry out. You should also recut the stems, as the original wound site might seal off and prevent water intake.

Remember to cut the bottom-most end of the stems diagonally to open up more surface area for better water consumption. Finally, place the recut stems in a vase with slightly acidic water which can typically stop the stems from callousing over and struggling to take up sufficient water. A bit of lemon juice or vinegar will usually make the water safely acidic. 

Fend off bacteria

Bacteria in the vase water can speed up the wilting process, shortening the life of your flower arrangements. Prevent this by adding a dash of vodka into the vase to disinfect the water. Alternatively, you can put in a few copper pennies into the water, as copper is essentially an antibacterial agent that can kill off algae growing over your immersed flowers.

A bit of bleach can also control the amount of fungi and bacteria in the vase. Remember that most of these antibacterial agents will typically kill flowers if used in large quantities, so use only a little at a time and change the water if it seems murky. 

Finally, be sure to clean your vases regularly using bleach and water. A sterilized vase filled with fresh water can help keep your flowers healthy and prolong their lifespan. 

Keep them cool and well fed

Flowers tend to wilt a lot faster when exposed to heat, so be sure to keep them away from direct sunlight and heat producing appliances such as TVs and computers. AC heat vents, bulbs and dryers could also dehydrate your flowers, causing them to wilt prematurely. 

Essentially, plants need carbohydrates to stay healthy, and the flowers aren't able to produce sufficient food while the stems are cut. To boost the nutrient intake of your flowers, add a bit of sugar in their water. Alternatively, talk to your florist about an appropriate powdered flower food to help nourish your flower arrangements.