Receiving a bunch of flowers is always a very pleasant experience. Flowers whether in a bunch or as an arrangement are fresh and beautiful when they are delivered to you, but without proper care can wilt and lose its charm in less than a day. So, how can you keep it looking fresh and charming for longer? Here are some easy ways to help you.
You may receive flowers either as a hand-tied bunch or an arrangement or in a vase. The flowers need to be treated and cared differently depending on the style in which it is put together. Flowers need a constant supply of water to keep them fresh. A flower arrangement comes with floral foam that stores water or water itself in the case of vase arrangements. However, the hand-tied bouquet needs to be put into a vase of water as soon as you receive them, for it to retain its freshness.
Here are some tips to follow while putting your flowers into a vase,
- Make sure the vase is clean and dry.
- Fill the vase three fourths with clean water.
- Add floral food to the water if it has been provided with the bouquet.
- In case you do not have florist supplied floral food handy, you could use one of the following home remedies
- Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar into the water and mix well.
- Add half an aspirin and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- Add 1 pinch of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Make sure that all the leaves on the stem that may get submerged when put into the vase are stripped from the stem.- Cut the tip of the stem with a sharp scissor or knife at an angle and put them into water immediately (Ideally, stems should be cut while holding the tip under water to prevent air bubbles from getting into the stem).
- Arrange all the flowers to suit your taste and enjoy them.
- Make sure you change the water every two days, while giving the stems a fresh cut at the tips each time (You could use a smaller vase when the stems get really short).
If the flowers have been arranged in a basket or a vase with floral foam, make sure you top up the water in the foam once every two days. Depending on the size of the foam used in the arrangement, 100ml-200ml of water can be slowly poured over the foam. Make sure you pour it in slowly giving it time to soak it in without spilling over.
Other tips:
- Whether in a vase or a basket make sure the flowers are kept in a cool place.
- Never keep the flowers under direct sunlight.
- Never keep the flowers near any heat generating equipment, like refrigerators, televisions etc.
- Never keep flower where there is a strong draft of air/wind, like directly under the fan or AC vent.
Following these tips will ensure you are able to enjoy your flowers for many days.