Flowers are one of my greatest loves.

I know that a lot of people consider buying flowers a waste of money on something temporary and transient, but I actually see it as a good investment.

Flowers have something so pleasant that can light up even the dullest days and can instantly upgrade the look of the rooms in your house.

To me, flowers are food for my soul just like food is for my body, that’s why for me there’s no difference between spending money on a good meal or buying a bouquet of flowers which adds a relaxing touch of nature to such an urban life.

There’s no doubt that it’s upsetting to see a 2-day-old bouquet starting to look tired and wilt, and that’s also the reason why a lot of people skip the pleasure of bringing flowers home – and it’s a shame.

In honor of the upcoming holiday season which fills our homes with beautiful bouquets, I decided that it’s the perfect time to share with you the perfect guide to maintain the freshness of flower bouquets over time and also an excellent tip that will help you arrange the flowers you received easily and quickly.

After trying these tips with the bouquets you’ll get over the holidays, and discovering that flower bouquets can actually stay fresh even more than two weeks {!!!}, I’m sure you’ll also start decorating your home with flowers – and not just during the holidays 😉

DON’T BUY FLOWER BOUQUETS ON THE STREET 

If you’re buying flowers yourself, don’t buy the flowers sold at the stands on the street. These flowers are usually in the sun and heat for a long time and aren’t at their peak condition.

Always prefer to buy flowers from stores where they keep the flowers in cool and moist rooms to extend their lifespan.

PREPARE THE BOUQUET

Bought or received a perfect bouquet and automatically removed the packaging and put it in a vase? That’s your first mistake!

The bouquets are usually sold with the stems cut at a right angle that prevent them from drinking the water in the vase ideally.

In order to keep the flowers fresh over time, it’s very important to cut all of the stems diagonally at a 45 degree angle with a sharp knife {and not with scissors that squish the stems}, in order to increase the area of absorption.

Additionally, cut all of the lower leaves on the stems with scissors {the ones that come in contact with the water} so they don’t turn into a fertile ground for bacteria that will accelerate the wilting process of the bouquet.

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CHOOSE THE CORRECT VASE

Vases come in all shapes, colors and materials, but it’s important to know that if you want to keep the flowers fresh over time, you should choose a vase from glass and not one made from aluminum or metal.

ALWAYS USE A CLEAN VASE

Bacteria accelerates the wilting process of flowers, and that’s why it’s important to wash the vase with warm water and soap before using it, or even better – with bleach.

PLACE THE VASE IN THE RIGHT PLACE

You should place the vase in a shaded place that’s cool and has indirect sunlight, and not near an air conditioner or a radiator since they make the flowers dry up quickly.

Avoid placing the vase near a plate of fruits {although they look good together… you could always snap one pic for Instagram and then separate them  } – because fruits release gas that makes the flowers wilt faster.

FILL THE VASE WITH WATER AT THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE

Flowers love lukewarm water, but if you bought a bouquet with closed buds and you want to make them bloom faster – simply place the stems of the flowers with the closed buds in warm water for a minute and then transfer them to a glass with cold water for 20 minutes.

After the buds open into beautiful flowers, place them in a vase with filled a quarter of its height with lukewarm water.

KEEP THE WATER IN THE VASE CLEAR

Most people fill the vase with water once and forget about it until the flowers start wilting.

If you want to keep your flowers fresh for more than a couple of days, you have to keep the water in the vase clean and clear and of course don’t forget to remove flowers that wilted or leaves that fell into the water, that accelerate the wilting process of the rest of the bouquet.

ADD TO THE VASE A “LIFE-PROLONGING” PRODUCT

There are two kinds of “life-prolonging” products that will keep your flowers beautiful :

Bought – small bags of “flower food” that are usually given for free when you buy a bouquet {Like Longlife}.

DIY – add a teaspoon of sugar and bleach / copper coin into a vase – 4 drops of bleach or a copper coin will prevent the development of bacteria and germs in the water and the sugar will serve as food for the flowers.

KEEP THE BOUQUET IN THE FRIDGE

If you’re buying a bouquet for a special event, for example, a holiday, and you want it to look the best possible when your guests arrive – put it in the fridge exactly like they keep flowers in the flower shops {it did magic for my wedding bouquet!}

And now for the tip that will help you arrange your flowers in a vase like a pro

How many times have you bought a bouquet that looked beautiful and full until the moment you put it in a vase? This great trick will make your flower arrangement much more impressive and beautiful.

All that you need is scotch tape, scissors and to watch this short video :

Great, right?

The only drawback of this trick is that you need to repeat this whole process every time you change the water.

If you’re a bit lazy, or if you buy a lot of flowers and you don’t have the patience to do this every time, there are two inexpensive multi-use options that fill the exact same function: Budable – a flexible silicon cover with small holes and the Easy Arranger – a metal net that fits over the vase opening.  

If you liked this post, share it on facebook and save it on pinterest!

And don’t forget to check out my FLOWER POWER board on pinterest to get a lot more floral inspiration…