Guide: Keeping Your Bouquets Healthy

Receiving a bouquet of flowers is wonderful. The colors give your home a happier atmosphere, and the smells bring about memories of spring and summertime. Sadly, these bouquets don’t last long, and the wilted flowers become a sad sight and end up in the trash within a couple of days. By following these simple tips, you’ll be able to prolong the life of your bouquet for up to 3 weeks. At the end of this guide, you will find a printable version.

1. Test the freshness of roses When you’re choosing a bouquet, look at the bottoms of the petals to see how many petals were previously removed from it. A fresh rose will only have one or two petals removed, and the more petals are missing, the closer the rose is to its life’s end. 2. Most flowers do not have a scent Your nose is perfectly fine, most decorative flowers simply have no scent. Growers prefer to breed flowers that are bigger and more resilient, not necessarily the ones that smell nice. 3. Don’t keep your flowers on a window sill Yes, they do look great in the sunlight, but the same light also speeds up the wilting process and the flowers will be gone in a day or two. Instead, keep the bouquet in a shady area.

4. Wash the vase after you use it Don’t swap bouquets without washing the vase properly. The bacteria and fungi from the previous bouquet will hasten the decaying process and your new flowers will be dead in no time. For the best results, wash the vase with alcohol or bleach. 5. Fruits are your enemies Keeping your bouquet next to a fruit bowl may look lovely, but it will also shorten the lifespan of your flowers. Fruits emit a gas called Ethaline, which speeds up decay in plants. 6. Keep flowers away from air-conditioning Flowers prefer a humid environment, and air-conditioning dries up the air, shortening their lifespan. 7. Change the water Still water is a nursery for bacteria, fungi and algae – all of which can speed up the decaying process. By changing the water on a daily basis, you will prolong the lifespan of the bouquet.

8. Don’t use scissors Instead of snipping stems with scissors, work with a sharp knife without a serrated edge. Cut the stems diagonally and cut it again every 3-4 days. 9. Remove the leaves You can use scissors to snip any leaves that come in contact with the water in the vase. Leaving the leaves in the water creates a perfect habitat for bacteria and fungi. 10. Don’t play with the flowers’ shape Avoid breaking, bending or damaging the stems. The stems’ shape is vital for the delivery of nutrients to the flowers. If you have a damaged flower, you will do well to remove it from the bouquet. 11. Don’t buy bouquets out on the street These bouquets often sit in the sun for too long and are often not fresh. Go to your favorite florist and buy it from them to ensure your flowers are fresh.

12. No cold showers! You don’t them and neither do the flowers. When first putting the flowers in, or when you change the water, make sure they’re lukewarm. 13. The “magical formula” Instead of just using tap water, make a mixture of 4-parts water, 1-part Sprite (not diet) and add a couple of drops of bleach. Using distilled water is better than regular water.