Here is another quick note on making cut flowers last longer in vases and arrangements. This is something that is very often asked, and very easily achieved. See our recent article on preserving cut flowers which has a number other tips, but today we are going to concentrate on just one aspect, and that is keeping the water nice and fresh.
Water is the life-blood of the cut flower, as without it the flower will soon wilt and die. It has largely finished the need for stem growth, but needs water to keep rigid and to help maintain healthy leaves and flowers. But it is not simply a matter of keeping it topped up. Water when left still becomes stagnant, and this often results in an offensive smell developing due to bacterial build up, spoiling the otherwise nice flower scents that are part of the joy of having flowers around the house or working environment. Some people even loath cut flower for this reason, as they are left with stagnant water and a dirty vase to deal with when the flowers have gone.
Four simple steps to help preserve your flowers
So, what can be done? Four simple steps help you to make this problem largely go away.
- Prepare the flowers- Once they are cut to the right length, make sure you then strip away any leaves that are going to sit below the water line. Remove leaves on spiky plants carefully!
- Feed the flowers – plant food sachets that come with cut flowers often contain ingredients to help prevent foul smelling water from developing, so use them if you have them
- Change the water regularly - If your flowers keep well, you may have them for some weeks. In this case, you will want to regularly empty the vase, and refill with fresh water from the tap.
- Remove any dead flowers and any leaves that drop into the water.
So there you have it! Four simple steps that should help prolong your enjoyment of cut flowers.