Some of my favorite childhood memories are going to the farmer’s market with my family and bringing home a bouquet of sunflowers. I’ve continued this tradition as an adult, placing freshly cut flowers around the house. Sometimes sunflowers, sometimes a nice bouquet of flowers that were sold at the farmer’s market across the street that week.
But even after years of buying flowers every week, it still makes me sad when the petals start to wilt, turn brown, and fall off. That’s a sign that it’s time to throw them away. Whether you bought flowers for yourself at your local supermarket or received a special bouquet to commemorate an anniversary or important occasion, you want to extend the life of those flowers for as long as possible.
This story is part of: Try thisCNET has put together some simple tips to quickly improve your life.
We spoke to two flower experts to gather their tips on how to buy the freshest flowers and how to make them last longer. We’ll also share some common myths that gardeners say don’t work. (More tips here.) The best location for plantsAnd here it is Best Indoor Plants for Low Light and Clean Air.)
What to Look for in Cut Flowers
You’re at the store, ready to buy flowers for yourself or someone special, but which bouquet should you choose among the dozens of bouquets on the shelf? Believe it or not, this decision can affect the lifespan of the flowers you buy.
Joe Guggia, owner of JP Designs Floral in Santa Maria, California, has been in the floral industry for more than 45 years. He said many bouquets are shipped from Ecuador or California, so it’s important to look closely at each stem and leaf to avoid buying flowers that are old or damaged in shipping.
Next, after you remove the bushel from the shelf, check that the water is clear and that the leaves are not yellow, mottled, or drooping. You should also check that the stems are not stringy or broken. Look for hairy gray mold and drooping, damaged petals, says Lucy Bradley, professor of consumer and community horticulture at North Carolina State University.
“Prolong the life of your vase by choosing flowers that are just starting to bloom,” says Bradley. “For roses and other single flowers, choose flowers that have only one petal open. For gladiolus and other spike flowers, choose stems that have only the first two or three flowers open. For daisy-type flowers, like sunflowers, choose flowers that are still green in the center.”
Your decision to purchase flowers from a store can affect the lifespan of your bouquet.
Cut Flower Tips That Actually Work
With so many misconceptions about flower care, Google and Bradley have some tips that are guaranteed to work.
Change the water frequently.
Filling a clean vase with fresh, lukewarm water is a surefire way to keep your flowers healthy for longer.
“For people who decorate with vases, the important thing is to change the water as often as possible,” Gujia said. “Just take out the vase, empty the water, put in new water, put the decorations back in, and it will last for days and days.”
Why? Bradley explains that simply pouring out the water will kill any bacteria growing in the vase water, which can clog the stems and prevent them from absorbing water.
trim the end
Both Gugia and Bradley agreed that cutting the stems back as soon as you bring them home is crucial for long-term preservation. But don’t be tempted to whip out your dull kitchen shears!
Bradley says the best way to trim flowers is to use a sharp knife or scissors to avoid damaging the stems and reducing their ability to absorb water. First, wipe your tools with alcohol, then carefully cut all the stems anew at a 45-degree angle, at least half an inch from the end of the stem.
Cutting at an angle will free most of the stem from the bottom of the vase, removing clogged tissue that no longer carries water to the flower, Bradley said.
Cut off the ends of the stems before arranging flowers in a vase.
Add a penny but record the age
You may have heard of the penny method, or you may have already thrown a penny into a vase of water and flowers. But before you dig through your wallet or jeans pockets, you should know that only pennies minted before 1982 will work. Those pennies have natural antibacterial properties that come from copper.
“Originally, pennies contained copper, which is a disinfectant that helps prevent disease,” Bradley said. “But pennies are now mostly made of zinc, so they’re no longer effective.”
Some cut flower tips are not like that. really work
When it comes to flower care, there’s bound to be some debate about what works and what doesn’t. Maybe you’ve tried a few in the past. No judgement here! Nevertheless, the experts I spoke to debunked some of the biggest myths about keeping cut flowers fresh longer.
Do you put sugar in the vase?
If you paid attention in high school science class, you’ll remember that flowers benefit from the sugars produced through photosynthesis. However, this mostly applies to flowers or leaves still attached to the plant, so think twice before adding a whole sprite to your vase of water.
Sugar will help extend the life of cut flowers, but a small bag of flower preservative is even more effective.
Bradley explains that sometimes adding a teaspoon and a half of sugar to a quart of water or a half-and-half lemon-lime beverage to the vase water acts as a plant fertilizer to extend the blooming period, but nothing is as effective as a commercial flower preservative.
Flower preservatives are often small packets that come with flower arrangements. These products often contain sucrose and a fungicide (antibacterial agent) to provide energy to the flowers, help the stems absorb more water, and prevent bacteria from growing.
Will using bleach help keep flowers fresher?
As the saying goes, a little goes a long way when it comes to bleach. Bradley explains that a few drops of bleach (1 teaspoon per gallon of water) will help kill bacteria and fungi, but too much (which is easy to do) can kill plant cells, too.
Can vodka, vinegar or aspirin extend the life of flowers?
There are tons of tips on the internet about how to preserve cut flowers for longer using vinegar, aspirin, vodka, etc. And while these methods may work in some cases, our experts do not recommend them because they are based on anecdotal evidence rather than scientific evidence.
Clean water is important to prolong the life of your flower arrangements.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t do that. Most of the time, flower arrangements are made up of a variety of flowers, so whatever you put in the water is not going to be accepted,” Gujia said. “It’s best to keep the water clean.”