Being sent flowers is always a lovely surprise, especially on those extra special occasions - and it’s always nice to treat yourself to the odd bunch too. Here, one of our flower experts Tim Woodhouse shares his tips on how to make flowers last longer.
Tim’s tips for longer-lasting flower freshness at home:
- Fill a clean vase with fresh tap water and flower food (always follow the sachet instructions)
- Cut around 1cm off the end of all the flower stems - aim for a 45 degree angle
- Take off any leaves that will be below the water level
- Place your flowers in the vase straight away - this will prevent air bubbles getting into the stem
- Show off the flowers in a cool location, ideally out of direct bright sunlight
- Refresh the flowers every three or four days by re-cutting the stems and putting the bouquet in fresh, clean water
- If the water in your vase goes cloudy, this means bacteria is present - so change the water as soon as possible
- Keep the flowers away from ethylene-emitting fruit bowls, particularly those containing strawberries and bananas
- Try not to ‘bash’ the flower stems before putting them into the vase – some people believe that this increases the water intake of the flower, but it actually helps bacteria grow in the water which is bad for the flowers
