Seven Tips for Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh Longer
Keeping fresh-cut flowers is not as easy as some may think. Many gardeners find themselves disappointed when their fresh-cut flowers fade and die within days of bringing them into the home. One way to help avoid an untimely demise of fresh-cut flowers is to think of them as young plants you are introducing to the garden. These are plants that often times have been grown in ideal circumstances before being brought into the home. Often times, the plants suffer from environmental shock. So what can you do? Here are our tips for extending the life of your fresh-cut flowers.
- If you are collecting flowers from your garden, opt for collecting in the early morning. The heat of the day is not the best time to collect fresh flowers.
- Don’t dilly-dally. Cut the flowers with generous stems and bring them indoors immediately.
- As soon as the stems are cut, air begins to block the plant cells responsible for the uptake of water. Once you’re indoors, cut the stems again, preferably under water, and immediately place them in the vase of water.
- Do not try home brews—instead rely on the science behind commercial preservatives. Adding a penny or an aspirin to the water does not benefit the cut flowers.
- Keep water clean: remove any leaves that fall below the waterline. Clean water minimizes bacteria that would reduce the stem’s uptake of water.
- Do not expose to heat. Heat will accelerate the desiccation of the plants.
- Store cut flowers in the refrigerator when you are away.