When we buy or we are gifted flowers, ensuring they survive seems to be the hardest part. Cut flowers need a little extra care to keep them from wilting, especially when the sun is shining. The rise in temperatures can make them prone to wilting. Here are five tips to keep your pretty flowers full of life, colour, and fragrance.
How To Stop Your Flowers Wilting
- Pick In Cooler Temperatures
If you’re going to pick your own flowers, for the best results we suggest you collect your cuttings in the morning when the stems are still full of water. If you wait until the afternoon there is a chance that they will wilt very quickly due to the sun having dried them out.
- Clean Your Vases
Using a squeaky-clean vase ensures there is no trace of bacteria causing the flowers to deteriorate quicker than they should. Once cleaned out with warm soapy water, rinse well and refill with lukewarm water. If possible, add some flower food, this feeds the flowers and minimises the growth of bacteria and other microbes.
- Avoid Hot Spots
Keeping the plants cool is a crucial step for their survival. Have you ever been into a florist and thought “Golly, this is chilly”, well here’s why! Granted you can’t maintain a cool environment in your home, but your flowers will last longer if you keep them in cooler part of the house, and away from direct sunlight.
- Out With The Old
Like anything, some types of flowers last longer than others. To keep your arrangements looking fresh remove any wilted flowers. As the bunch gradually gets smaller, you can transfer them into a smaller vase, giving the illusion that they are still a big bunch!
- Refresh The Water
Flowers absorb a lot of water, and it’s most usually the first day where you’ll find they drink the most. After a couple of days, check to see if the water looks cloudy, if so, remove the water and refill it with fresh water and flower food. This is also a good time to rinse the stems and cut about an inch off the bottom.
Making flower arrangements with homegrown flowers or wildflowers can be a pleasure from start to finish. Growing them in your own garden brings an element of beauty to your environment and provides you with a great deal of satisfactory. Cutting them may seem like a sad process, but it gives you time to appreciate the plant and blossom. Be creative with the colours, shapes and textures, it’s all part of the fun!
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