How to keep flowers in a vase fresher for longer

Welcome to our guide on properly preparing flowers for use in a vase, as well as keeping them as fresh as possible for as long as possible! Read on for a comprehensive, step by step guide:

Step 1 – Cutting

• ·The flowers you chose for displaying in a vase should be fully flowered, and tall enough to sit comfortably in the vase, but have more than half of the flower standing above the rim of the glass.
• ·Use clean , sharp metal scissors and cut the stem at a 45 degree angle.
• ·If possible, use a vegetable brush to gently wipe the flowers clean, this will help stop them from dirt on them from contaminating the water, as well as making them look more presentable.
• ·Finally, cut away any leaves as close to the stem as possible if the leaves are going to be submerged in water, you can keep the leaves above the water line, and this actually helps the flower to retain some life for longer.

Step 2 – Preparation

• ·Using clean (preferably distilled) water, fill a large clean jug up and place the flowers in them, don’t worry , this is not the flowers final resting place, it’s just where they can really get a good drink . Leave the flowers in the jug for a few hours before moving onto the next stage.
• ·Clean the vase that you are intending for use, preferably a glass one as you will more easily be able to see any changes in the water – clean water is good for this , DO NOT USE ANY SOAP PRODUCTS TO CLEAN THE VASE!!

Step 3 – Putting In the Vase

• ·Using distilled or purified water, fill the vase about half way up, making sure that the stems will be submerged enough.
• ·Carefully remove the flowers from the Jug and then place in the vase, spacing the flowers out as much as possible when doing so.
• ·Place in a cool location that is not in direct sunlight, as it will make the flowers dry up and die quicker

Step 4 – Maintenance and care

• ·A great water mixture for feeding flowers in a vase can be : adding one teaspoon of bleach, two tablespoons of lemon or lime juice, and one teaspoon of sugar into every quart of water that you use – as this provides the flowers with not only nutrients, but the lemon/lime juice and bleach provides the water with anti bacterial properties, as well as making the water smell fresh and look clean. You can also add 1 full aspirin to the quart of water to add a little extra nourishment.

• ·Change the water at least once every three days.
• ·Remove any flowers that are obviously wilting or dying, as they will release chemicals into the water which will cause the remaining flowers to wilt and die faster than usual.
• ·Try to use room temperature water, once you have created your water mixture, leave to stand for about 30 minutes to ensure the temperature has risen/fallen to room level.

We hope you make use of our guide to caring for flowers in a vase, which will help your flowers to thrive in a fresher environment rich in nutrients and low in dirt and bacteria  for a good extra few days!

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