How to Take Care of Fresh Cut Flowers: Separating the Myths from the Hacks

Learning proper care for fresh-cut flowers has become very important over the last few years. COVID-19 restrictions drove home the benefits of a bundle of beautiful flowers to brighten up the day. In this post, we'll look at how to get cut flowers to last for longer so you can enjoy them even more.

How to Care for Fresh Flowers

Make Your Flowers Last Longer with These Home-Care Tips

  • Cut the stems: When bringing flowers home, use sharp scissors or a knife to cut the stem tips. Remove a half-inch section at a 45° angle. Repeat every few days to prevent the cut stems from sealing.
  • Remove excess leaves and dead flowers: Keep no leaves below the waterline as they may begin to rot. This top tip on how to get cut flowers to last longer extends the flower’s vase life tremendously. Remove dead foliage every few days.
  • Keep the vase clean: Start with a clean vase and replace the water every two days.
  • Keep the blooms cool: Most flowers do better in cool temperatures. Give your cut flower stems a fresh drink of cool rather than warm water. Keep them out of direct sunlight afterward.

How to Make Cut Flowers Last with Flower Food and Other Additives

Keep healthy flowers fresh longer by adding the following items.

  • Vinegar / Lemon Juice: Two teaspoons of vinegar (white, red wine, or apple cider) helps your flower arrangement absorb water. Further improve this tip by using citric acid or lemonade made from just water, sugar, and lemon juice.
  • A penny: This was true when pennies were made solely from copper, but not today.
  • Sugar: You can make your own flower food out of a teaspoon of sugar. Improve this tip by adding a few drops of bleach to prevent bacterial growth. You can replace the sugar with soda water or lemon-lime soda as long as it's not a diet drink.
  • Vodka: Adding a teaspoon of vodka to your cold water can slow the decline of flowers by inhibiting ethylene gas. Add vodka only after the buds open, or else it will prevent them from blossoming.
  • Hair spray: This is a complete myth in flower care. Avoid this tip if you want flowers last longer.
  • Aspirin: Aspirin will increase the rate at which the flower stem draws up water. Vinegar and lemon juice are, however, better options.
  • Refrigeration: Flower care tips include keeping all the stems and blossoms cool. Flower shops do this by refrigerating blooms at about 40°F. If you can fit the flower bouquet into the refrigerator, place them there at night.
  • Flower food: The best option is to add the little packet of food you receive from the florist.

Choose the Right Florist

Our final tip on how to take care of fresh-cut flowers is to choose the right florist. If you'd like to see how it should be done, contact Bloomen at 1-844-256-6636 to order roses and other flowers today.