Give your flowers the good life

Did you know that proper flower care can make your fresh bouquets last up to twice as long? With a little bit of effort, you can enjoy the beauty of your blooms for many days to come.

Every flower is different and some have very special needs. For example, hydrangeas can actually drink from their petals, as well as their stems! However, most fresh-cut flowers need the same basic care which we will overview below.

• Change the water DAILY- we always say, "if the water looks like you don't want to drink it, the flowers don't either." This is the simplest way to cut down on the bacteria that will eventually cause your flowers to die. It also makes sure you keep the vase full of water. While arranging your bouquet, some stems are cut shorter than others so you want to be sure they are all getting access to enough water even at the top of the vase.
• Keep out of direct sunlight-planted flowers in a garden need sunlight to grow but since your flowers are already cut, they will not be growing (tulips are an exception but still do not need sunlight). The sun will burn the delicate petals and cause them to wilt prematurely.
• Keep away from vents and windows- flowers do best at room temperature and will get too hot or too cold if you place them directly under an air vent or in a window.
• Cut the stems if you remove them from water- once a flower stem is removed from water it will form a barrier that will stop it from drinking the amount of water it needs to stay alive. You can counteract this by giving your stems a trim at an angle.
• Don't use water from a water softener- this will kill your flowers quickly because it is introducing salt into them. If you have a water softener at home, please use bottled water or the outside hose if it is not connected to the system.
• Keep your flowers away from produce- fruits release ethylene gas as they ripen and this gas will cause your flowers to prematurely age.

Overall, cut flowers are pretty easy to care for and by following these tried and true methods, you will be able to increase the life of your flower arrangements from Beautiful Bouquet Florist. May they live long and prosper 😉