Tips to Keeping Your Flowers Alive Longer

Receiving a bouquet of flowers is a simple gift that can put a smile on your face, brighten your home, and show that someone cares about you. It is a beautiful gesture that many people love. However, that beautiful bouquet can quickly fade into sagging, dull, and sad looking flowers.

While many people love receiving bouquets, others may only think about how quickly this beautiful bundle of flowers is going to die and have to be thrown away. There are ways to keep your bouquets last longer, and while you may have heard of a few, we are going to give you a list to help distinguish the myths from what actually works!

At Nancy’s Floral, we love flowers. And we want you to love our beautiful flower arrangements and bouquets for longer! That is why we are going to give you some tips for keeping your flowers lasting longer. Read on to learn some different ways to keep those flowers alive!

Prep Them

Before you add your bouquet of flowers to a vase, there is some prep work that needs to be done. Of course, if you buy a bouquet from Nancy’s Floral, it will come prepped. If you purchase your bouquets elsewhere, start by removing the leaves that will fall below the waterline. Once the leaves are removed, trim the stems to a desired length. Freshly cut stems will allow the flowers to drink and absorb the water better, which will keep them looking fresh.

Once your flowers are prepped, there are a few different methods you can use to help your flowers last longer.

Fresh Water

Adding fresh water to your vase daily can help keep flowers fresh as well. Be sure to rinse out the vase and add flower freshener if you would like!

White Vinegar and Sugar

Sugar is flower food but sugar also allows for bacteria to grow. Combining a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vinegar can help keep your bouquet alive for a longer period of time.

Put Them to Bed

Don’t literally put your flowers to bed, but be sure to place your fresh flowers in the refrigerator overnight. This will reduce bacteria growth and help your flowers live longer than a few days. Just think about it — this is similar to what florist do.

Vodka and Sugar

You can also use vodka as a way to keep your flowers free of bacteria while the sugar adds nourishment to the vase! Pour yourself a drink and add a few drops to your vase along with a teaspoon of sugar. Just be sure to freshen the water daily.

Aspirin

Adding some crushed aspirin to the vase before adding water is a great way to keep your flowers alive. Make sure you switch out the water regularly to ensure it doesn’t get too dirty.

Wish On a Penny

Throwing a penny in the vase with some sugar will feed your flowers and keep the bacteria from growing, helping your bouquet to stay beautiful. The copper penny works as an acidifier, keeping the bacteria at bay.

There are many ways to keep your flowers fresh and living for a longer period of time! Enjoy your bouquet by keeping it alive longer. We know how fun it can be to receive flowers, but watching them die in the first few weeks can put a damper on your day. The next time you receive a fresh bouquet of flowers, try one of these methods.

Be sure to stop by Nancy’s Floral in Portland or shop online to find the perfect bouquet for yourself or a loved one! We have a ton of beautiful flower arrangements, fruit baskets, and other unique gifts. Contact us today to learn more.