Buying fresh flowers from the farmer’s market, a florist’s shop or a supermarket brings such joy and a smile to our faces, it really is the little things! 

However, while it is a spark of magic having new flowers in the house, they can often wilt and die quite quickly. This is due to the change in their environment and not getting the right amount of water/drying out quicker than they would if they were still in the nutrient-rich soil. Flowers are still living entities and need time and care putting into them, but we are not told much about their needs once they’ve been removed from the flower bed. 

So that you can enjoy your new blooms for a while longer, we have put together a list of tips and advice to help you!

Trim the stems

Trimming the stems of your flowers helps them stay healthy for longer. Bacteria build up in the water can cause the stems to rot, meaning they can’t absorb water properly, or any nutrients you may have added. This results in the flowers wilting sooner as they are dehydrated and the cells die off. Trimming them removes the damaged cells and allows fresh cells to flourish!

Change the water frequently 

Changing the water frequently in your flower vase will help keep the flowers thriving for longer, as there will be no chance for bacteria to build up. Flower stems are prone to bacteria growth when sitting in water so by changing it regularly, you’re protecting the stems. Additionally, flowers can drink a lot of water, especially if it is a large bouquet! So keeping an eye on the water levels ensures all the stems will be properly hydrated.

Keep flowers away from fruit

Fruit gives off an invisible gas called ethylene which they produce as the fruit begins to ripen. If fresh flowers, or even other fruit, are exposed to this gas, it will cause the flowers to lose their petals prematurely, and ripen into a fruit. Which is amazing in the eyes of science, but not so great for our floral table displays! 

Use flower food

Often, you will receive some flower food with the bouquet you have purchased. Using this is highly beneficial to the flowers as it is providing them with all the nutrients they need. It also helps to keep the water fresher for a few days more, if you can’t get to changing the water frequently! 

Wash out the vase

Once your bouquet is finished, wash out the vase properly using warm water and soap. Bacteria can build up in the vase with the current bouquet in there, meaning once you refill with a new bunch of flowers, they’ll perish faster due to bacteria already being present. 

We hope this list is helpful for you the next time you buy a new bunch of flowers! Small changes like these in your flower routine will ensure your home is benefitting from the beauty of fresh flowers more and more.