Whether you’ve bought them yourself or been sent a bunch from a friend or loved one, there’s nothing better for brightening up the home than freshly cut flowers. The experienced artisan florists at Hanako carefully select the best blooms for their bouquets, and they have plenty of tips for keeping them looking lush and fresh for as long as possible.
Real blooms won’t last forever, but there are certain things you can do to extend their life. Here are our top tips:
Place in a Cool, Dry Spot
There’s no doubt that cut flowers thrive more if they are kept in a cool location with relatively low humidity. Places like the kitchen or near radiators that can get quite hot and often fill with condensation aren’t the best choice. Neither is putting your flowers in a sun-facing window during the summer.
Transporting Your Flowers
If you’re picking them up from a local flower shop, make sure your blooms are packaged properly and try to avoid long journeys before getting home. If you are having your flowers delivered, check with the flower shop how they care for their blooms when transporting them.
We always ensure that flowers are carefully packaged, and that means they turn up at your door in pristine condition.
Flower Stems and General Care
Don’t just get your flowers out of the packaging and plunge them into a vase. You can take simple cosmetic steps to ensure your blooms remain vibrant for longer.
First, run a tap in the kitchen and trim the lower stems of the flowers under the water. Make sure you use a sharp knife or pair of scissors so that you get a good, clean cut. This ensures that air doesn’t get into the stems and cause blockages that prevent the uptake of water while in the vase.
Another thing to ensure is to clean your vase thoroughly before putting any flowers in. Dirty containers can hold all sorts of bacteria that can damage your plants and make them less likely to last.
Feeding Flowers
Most bouquets come with a small sachet of plant food designed to extend their life. You simply add this to the water, and it should keep your flowers looking pristine for much longer. A few drops of normal plant food will do if you don’t have one of these sachets.
Most indoor plants benefit from a quick misting with a spray bottle, and cut flowers are no exception. Do this every morning and evening, and you will find that petals and leaves will dry out less quickly and maintain their sheen and brightness.
Topping Up the Water
Some blooms drink more than others, so it’s always a good idea to watch the water level in your vase – top it up if you think it’s getting too low.
These essential tips work with any kind of flower and should ensure that your new bouquet lasts much longer. Of course, some plants may have additional ways to keep them fresh, and it’s worth checking with your florist for some sensible advice. The big mistakes that people often make are putting their new blooms in the wrong location and not trimming the stems before putting them into a clean vase.
