How to Keep Flowers Fresh Longer. Tips for Different Varieties

by Laura Mitran · February 27, 2017

It’s the season to offer or decorate your house with beautiful flower varieties. It’s only natural you want to enjoy that beautiful bouquet you chose or received for as long as you can. Here’s how to keep flowers fresh longer in general or depending on the variety.

General tips

First of all, cut approximately 1 inch from the stalks with a knife. Don’t use scissors and don’t break them. If the stalk is damaged or broken, cut that part, because once sunk in the water it’s the ideal environment for bacteria, flees etc. and the flower can’t absorb water right.

Remove the leaves from the part of the stalk that you put in the vase and make sure the vase is clean, also to prevent pests flourishing.

The water must be at room temperature, not cold, from the tap, and has to be changed every day.

Only 1/3 of the stalks length should be in water..

How to keep flowers fresh longer. A few tricks

Flowers hold longer if you put a copper coin in the water, against must bacteria.

Every time you change the water, add a spoon of hydrogen peroxide.

If you use mineral water and change it every 3 days, you’ll enjoy your flowers two times longer.

Flowers stay fresh longer if you stick them in a pierced potato, placed on the bottom of the vase. The starch in the potato is absorbed giving the flowers more vitality.

Yellow flowers last more than others.

How to keep flowers fresh longer. Season flowers

Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths last longer if you pierce the stalk with a needle. They will absorb the water easier and stay fresh. They also benefit from having a starch spoon added in the water.

Don’t mix daffodils with other flowers. Daffodils stalks contain a poisonous substance that quickly makes the other flowers fade. Put them in a separate vase, in cold water, for 24 hours, and you can combine them with other flowers afterwards.

Tulips should be placed in a vase in approximately 2 inches of water, not to force the flower into blossoming. They also have to be placed away from direct light.

Put a sugar cube in the water you keep freesias in and they will blossom to the las bud.

Violets will hold better if you sink the flowers in cold water before putting them in the vase and spray them constantly afterwards.

How to keep flowers fresh longer. Other flowers

Roses and other flowers with a wooden stalk have to be dipped in hot water for a few minutes before being placed in the vase, so that they absorb the water better.

Lilac holds better if you peel off the tips of the stalks around 2 inches and then dip them in hot water for 4 – 5 minute.

Mums, roses and poppies enjoy a piece of wood coal and some sugar in their water.

Mums, poppies and sunflowers stay fresh longer if you hold the tip of the stalk, after cutting, over the flame of a candle or match,for a short while before putting them in the vase.

Carnations’ stalks should be cut between two knots, and never directly on them.

Gerbera needs to stay no more than 2 – 2.5 inches in water because the stalk rots very easily. You should cut a little bit from it, it on the diagonal, every day.