Have you at any point painstakingly picked your beloved blossoms and arranged them in a nice bundle, only to see them wither a few hours or days after? If you think that it is impossible to keep your roses fresh or your peonies looking new, try some of the following tips by our florist expert to keep your flowers perky.
Reasons why flower shrivel
- The extreme changes in temperature are the main reason why cut flowers wilt or die. When single blossoms droop, this might be due to the absence of water and nourishment.
- Untimely withering isn’t generally an indication of an old bloom. It, for the most part, demonstrated that air is stuck in the stem and the stem needs to be cut.
- Not cleaning the vase will block the flow of water through the pores of the flower stems and afterward, you will have wilted cut blossoms. You should cautiously wash the vase with diluted bleach – using a teaspoonful of bleach is sufficient to kill germs. Then, use warm water to rinse out the bleach from the vase.
- As fruits and vegetables ripen, they release ethylene gas that shortens the shelf life of the blooms. So, when you are storing your flower bouquets in the fridge, ensure they are far from those vegetables and fruits. Cigarette smoke and car exhaust fumes also have a similar effect on flowers.
- When the neck of young flowers shrivel (the stem just beneath the blossom), that flower can’t be restored. Though, you might need to place the blossom in a water bowl in a bid to revive it. In this way, if the flower is still alive, they will be resuscitated. Submerge the blossoms in water, for example, a bathtub or sink. After about 30-60 minutes, the flower will have assimilated enough water to become revived. Before returning it to the vase, make sure to remove one inch of the stem submerged utilizing sharp scissors or blade.
Helpful tips to ensure that your cut blossoms don’t wilt
Here are some tips on how to care for your cut flowers in a vase or hand bouquet. Regardless of whether you cut them from your yard or got them from the florist in your neighborhood, these tips will enable you to keep them fresh for longer and look their most brilliant and fullest. Use these straightforward tips to get the most vase life and satisfaction from your new cut flowers:
- Water, Water, Water
Regardless of whether someone bought you some cut blooms or cut them yourself, get them into the water as quickly as time permits. Even if you aren’t ready to arrange them in your favorite vase yet, it is essential to put them into a water bowl until you are ready to use them.
- Utilize warm water
Clean the vase properly to eliminate germs and bacteria from previous use. Start by pouring warm water (38°C to 43°C) into the vase. You can also rinse dirt and germs from the flower stems using cooler water. Note that rinsing flowers in hot water can make the flowers droop and wilt faster because the hot water degrades some natural chemicals present in flowers.
- The significance of floral food
Strictly follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the package of the floral food. Farmers and florists often incorporate these packets when you buy a floral bouquet, and they truly work!
There are 3 main ingredients present in floral food that interact to make blooms last longer: a biocide to kill bad microorganisms, an acidifier to maintain the pH level of the water, and a source of nutrients for the development of flowers.
In the event that you don’t have the commercial floral food, you can make it yourself! Simply mix 3 teaspoonfuls of lemon soft drink (to function as an acidifier and nutrient source) and 1 teaspoonful of bleach (to eliminate the microbes) with 950 ml of lukewarm water.
- Lessen chances of microorganisms growing in the water
Before putting the blossoms into the water, cut off any leaves that would fall beneath the water line. Such leaves might rot in the water, which makes microorganisms to grow and make the water cloudy. This will then shorten the flowers’ vase life.
- The most effective method to cut stems correctly
In the event that your flowers were dispatched with water vials to hydrate them, take them out. Then, trim the stems. Preferably, you should use a sharp knife to cut around one inch at an angle from the base of each stem, while keeping the stems in water. After cutting, place the stems quickly in the vase. The reason you cut underwater is to allow the flowers to promptly start absorbing water, this will prevent bubbles from developing inside the stem. Angled cutting increases the quantity of water that can be consumed by the stem. These 2 reasons help to prevent obstruction of water flow to the flowers, where it is needed the most!
- Continuous care
The ideal vase life of cut flowers is at least one week. Repeat the steps above every 3 days – first, remove the blooms from the vase, and use hot water to clean the vase. Then, pour warm clean water into the vase and add floral food. Lastly, cut an inch off the stems under water, and put the flowers back in the vase. Remember to keep track of the water level daily and top up with warm water as required.
HELP! I have attempted these things and my blooms are still wilting. Would it be a good idea for me to discard these duds?
Not yet! Blooms respond well to love, the same way as people do, so don’t be excessively hard on them.
When caring for cut blooms, there are a couple of interesting things to note: for one thing, did you request blossoms that have buds? A few blossoms are sent while they are still buds – yet to bloom – so they have a more extended vase life once you receive them. In the event that your bundle isn’t looking as full as you think it should, it’s possible that your flowers simply have not fully bloomed.
In the event that you know without a doubt that your flowers are in full bloom, yet they are simply looking feeble and withered, you can give them a shower to wake them back up. Submerge your blooms in a pail of tepid water for about 30 minutes. They probably got dried out, and soaking will enable them to drink water rapidly and begin feeling vigor.
