Keeping summer flowers fresh

During the warmer months, it can be increasingly difficult to keep your cut flowers fresher for longer. Fresh blooms will eventually perish but there are steps you can take to keep summer flowers fresh. Here are some of the top tips to keep in mind.

Choose quality blooms

It should go without saying that the quality of the blooms you buy will determine how long they last. Your flowers should be in bud form rather than fully opened. If they are completely open, keeping summer flowers fresh will be increasingly difficult because they do not have a long lifespan at this stage. Quality flowers will automatically last longer than those of an inferior quality.

Choose a cool place

Since the sun is at its hottest during these months, it’s important to make sure that you keep your flowers out of the sun. If you have an air conditioner, make sure that you do not place the bouquet too close to it. The direct flow of cold air on your flowers can do more harm than good. Keeping summer flowers fresh requires moderate temperatures but you should always be careful of strong draughts too.

Replace the water

Many people think that you only need to top up the vase water regularly. This is not exactly true. You should replace the vase water every couple of days too. You can top up the vase water if it still appears clean. The moment it becomes a bit cloudy, it’s time to change the water and clean your vase too. You can also inspect the base of the stems and make sure that they have not been clogged with bacterial growth. If this is the case, you should trim the stems before placing them in clean vase water.

Spritz the blooms

You can help your flowers look their best, you can spritz them lightly with some fresh water. This will help perk them up and give them a fresh look even if the bouquet is already a week old.

Flower food

When you receive a bouquet, your florist should provide you with flower food. This is essential when it comes to keeping summer flowers fresh. The package contains various ingredients that provide the flowers with nutrition while inhibiting bacterial growth in the vase. Whenever you add more water to the vase or replace the vase water, remember to add more flower food.

These are the most important tips to remember. It’s also good to pay attention to your flowers and remove any flowers or foliage that starts to perish. When plant materials start to die, they release substances that cause the rest of your flowers to perish faster too. So, by following these tips, you will enjoy your summer blooms for that much longer.