Keeping Your Flowers Fresher for Longer: Here's How

Flowers are a type of self care for me. In the past, I'd asked my husband to buy me flowers, but at some point I decided that I don't need to ask someone else to get them for me, I am allowed to buy my own things to cheer myself up. And fresh flowers certainly do bring cheer into the home. But although I don't mind spending money on this little luxury, I'd like my flowers to last as long as possible to get the most bang for my buck. Here's some tips from a reader on how to do that.

Few things have the potential to brighten your day more than a bouquet of beautiful, fresh flowers on your dining room table or nightstand. But it can certainly be a downer when they start to wilt. However, while eventual wilting is inevitable, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your flowers fresh and happy for longer!

Whether someone you love has thoughtfully gifted you a bouquet of roses after a big date, your birth month flower to celebrate a milestone birthday, or just a handful of fresh blooms on a Sunday, you’ll want to keep them alive as long as possible. Here’s how:

Cut the Stems

Though the last thing you may want to do is take a pair of scissors to your beautiful blooms, we promise it’s with the flower’s best interest in mind! Cutting half an inch off the bottom of each of your bloom’s stems helps them to draw in water. Obviously, do this before you put your flowers in the vase full of H20.

Get Your Flowers in Water A.S.A.P.

Think of flowers like fish -- the longer they’re out of water, the more unlikely they are to survive! If you’ve just received a bouquet of flowers (or have brought some home from the supermarket) and are searching through your cabinets for the perfect vase, stick your blooms in any old receptacle -- a pitcher or coffee mug works fine, depending on the size -- filled with water until you can relocate them to a more elegant home.

Be Deliberate With Your Water Temperature

The temperature of water you should use for your plants depends entirely on what you want them to do. If you want them to bloom more quickly, you can try placing them in slightly warm (but never hot!) water. But just know that if you do this, the flowers will go through their life cycle (aka die) sooner. In most cases, it’s best to put your flowers in room temperature water, but if you’ve got some flowers that thrive in the colder months, it’s okay to reduce the water temperature a little bit.

Be Ruthless with Your Leaf Removal

How do you know which leaves you should remove from the stems and which are okay to stay on? The answer is simple; anything that goes below the waterline should be removed. That way, rotten and waterlogged leaves won’t spread flower-killing bacteria.

Place Your Plants in Low Temperatures

Even if it’s cold outside and you’re all bundled up, resist the urge to put your plants somewhere warm (like on top of a radiator, for instance). They do better and last much longer when they are allowed to thrive at a cool, ambient room temperature.

Switch out the Water Frequently

Every few days, you should change the water in your vase to prevent bacteria overgrowth. To keep your plants thriving for an extra long time, trim the stems every time you change the water, just like you did when you first put them in the vase.

Keep Your Florals Well Fed

Sure, you can buy plant food at the store, but it’s an expense you don’t really need to incur. If the flowers you’ve ordered or purchased (or received) came with a packet of plant food, then use that first. But if you need more food for your flowers (which you probably will, because you should give the flowers more food every time you change their water), mix together a few drops of clear soda, gin or vodka, and a vitamin c tablet and add it to your vase of water.

What tips do you use to get your flowers to last as long as possible?