How to Keep Flowers in a Vase Looking Beautiful for Longer

Every woman loves receiving flowers, but to enjoy them for a long time after receiving them, it's necessary to follow several principles.

Cut flowers don't stay beautiful for long, as they wilt quickly.

However, this process can be partially slowed down. Just follow a few principles and the flowers in your vase will stay beautiful and fresh a bit longer.

Cut bouquets can survive without water for some time, but this time shouldn't be longer than 1 hour. For longer transport, it's advisable to choose some alternative type of watering.

In this article, you can read how to care for cut flowers and you'll find advice and tips here.

In better florists, you'll get small ampoules filled with water that are threaded onto flower stems. For watering during transport, you can also use fabric that absorbs water and keeps the flower moist for a certain time.

On freezing days, have your flowers wrapped in paper, preferably in two layers, so the flowers don't freeze unnecessarily.

Immediately after arriving home, place the flowers in lukewarm water. Under running water, cut the stems at an angle, approximately at a 45-degree angle.

Cutting under water is recommended because air doesn't reach the stem cut and the plant can thus more easily absorb water. The plant also adapts to indoor temperature more easily.

The vase in which you place the flowers should always be clean. Any impurities could cause sediment formation and bacterial growth. Fill the vase or flower container one-third full with lukewarm water. If bubbles have formed in it, let it stand for a while.

Before placing the bouquet in water, remove all leaves from the stems that would reach below the water level in the container. If they remained in the water, they would start to decompose. Add flower food to the water that you received at the florist together with the flowers.

Now you can place the flowers in the vase. The stem doesn't need to be completely submerged, approximately 4 cm is enough.

Place the vase with flowers in a partially sunny location. The indoor temperature should be around 20 degrees Celsius without large temperature fluctuations. What also harms flowers greatly is drafts, so watch out for them!

Change the water for the flowers preferably every other day, so bacteria don't have a chance to cause damage. You can also extend freshness by further diagonal cutting of the stems.

Tips and Advice

• If you didn't receive a flower food sachet at the florist, add a piece of charcoal to the vase. This will disinfect the water and prevent stem rot.

• A clove of garlic will work just as well. It ensures beautifully clear, fresh water.

• A used black or green tea bag will also provide nutrients for your bouquets.

• If your gerbera starts to droop, place it in boiling water for a moment. After a while, the flower will straighten up again.

• Cut flowers with hollow stems at an angle, fill the stem with cold water, and plug it with a damp piece of cotton wool. The plant will stay fresh longer.

• For plants with milky sap in their stems, a horizontal cut is recommended instead. Dip the stems in lukewarm water until the milky sap stops flowing out.

• If your roses wilt quickly, submerge them completely in cold water, preferably overnight. In the morning they'll be fresh and crisp again.