What can shorten the life of cut flowers

Whether you have selected the perfect bunch of flowers for yourself or you have received a delightful fresh flower delivery from a loved one, there is no denying the fact that we always want them to last as long as possible. This is why we need to take extra special care and make sure that we do not expose our cut flowers to any conditions that could shorten their lifespan. Here are some rules you don’t want to break if you want to get the most out of any cut bouquet.

One of the main enemies of any cut flower is bacteria. As soon as you place a cut stem in fresh vase water, bacteria starts to grow and multiply. If left unchecked, the vase water will turn cloudy and it can also smell really bad. The bacteria grows around the base of the stem and it will end up clogging the only entry point for water and nutrients. When the stem is deprived of food and water, it will start to perish. To prevent this from happening, there are a number of things you can do. Firstly, trim the bottoms of the stems and remove any leaves that could end up below the waterline. The less plant material in the water, the slower bacteria will grow. Another tip is to add flower preserve to the water. This helps feed the flowers and slows the growth of bacteria. Change the vase water every couple days and, when you do, add more flower preserve. You should also trim the stems every few days to prevent the bacteria from completely blocking the bottoms of each stem. By checking the water every day, you will avoid running the risk of the flowers running out of water. Flowers like tulips and hydrangeas are particularly thirsty and if they run out of water, it can have a devastating effect.

Sunlight is another major contributing factor to consider. While plants need sunlight to produce food, cut flowers should be kept out of the direct sun. Not only does sunlight encourage bacterial growth in the vase water, but your flowers will also wilt that much faster due to the harsh rays.

Finally, don’t forget about such factors as wind, heat, and cold conditions. All of which can be extremely damaging to cut flowers. This means that you should not display your cut flowers in windy areas or anywhere near a heater, fireplace, air conditioner, and so on.

Different types of flowers have different vase life expectancy. No matter how well you care for them, there are some blooms that simply will not last more than a week or so. If you want to get the most out of your flowers, ask your florist for flowers that are only partially opened.