How To Make Fresh Flowers Live Longer

Spring time is upon us and my favorite thing about Spring is all of the beautiful flowers that come into season. Fresh flowers can be expensive so here are my tips to make your fresh flowers last longer.

Tips and Tricks to Make Fresh Flowers Live Longer

1. Make sure to cut 1-2 inches off the stem of each flower. Cut the stem under warm running water using sharp shears.
2. Cut the stem on an angle
3. Remove all low leaves from the flower (cut anything that is below water level). Low leaves tend to rot and will put bacteria into the water.
3. Make sure that your vase is CLEAN. This is a big mistake that many people make. Your vase needs to be clean and free of bacteria before you add your flowers. I usually clean my vase right before I fill it with water.
4.  Give the flowers food. A good trick is to add sugar (about 2 tbsp) to the water to encourage the flowers to bloom. I know it sounds funny but it works!
5. Add a preservative to the water. Many household items act as a preservative, such as:

• 1 aspirin crushed in water and added to the water in the vase...this is my go to and it works fabulously!
• 2 tbsp of white vinegar
• 1 capful of Bleach

6. Change the water every other day. Once again you want to limit bacteria and overall yuckiness so make sure to change the water frequently and of course add your sugar and preservative as well.

7. Different flowers need different care. It may be worth it to do a quick Google search for care of your flower of choice. For instance I learned that Daffodils should not be used in vase arrangements with other flowers because thy secrete a substance that will kill the other flowers...who knew?!

The arrangement below that I highlighted in this post lasted for almost 20 DAYS! (19 to be exact). Take care of your flowers and they will stay beautiful longer for you.