How to Make Cut Flowers Last Longer in 2023: 6 Easy Steps

1) Keep flowers away from direct sunlight and air currents. Cut flowers have a limited life because they don't have roots, so it's harder for them to take nutrients in. They don't like the sun anymore; they prefer dark and cold places, and the sunlight will dry them out faster.

2) Keep your arrangement in a cool room. We keep our flowers in a 38 F cooler, so trust me, they really like cool rooms. If you ever wondered how florists accomplish this, there are two ways. With a regular floral cooler like the ones they have at Bush Refrigeration and with a CoolBot which hardwires a regular window ac, this is the one we use.

3) Change the water every 2 to 3 days or every time the water is not clear. Remember to dissolve flower food in the water following the package guidelines (around 1/4 package per 1/2 cup of water).

To change the water place the arrangement under running water (without it touching the flowers) and wait until the water inside the vase looks clear, then dissolve the flower food. Just make sure all the stem's ends are under the water but not the foliage.

The flower food is important because it prevents bacteria from growing and damaging your flowers.

4) Remove wilted flowers or bad-looking petals every 2-3 days; these produce bacteria that harm good flowers.

5) Avoid placing your arrangement near electronic objects such as TVs, radios, or kitchen appliances; they produce heat that may damage your flowers.

6) Also avoid placing your flowers near food or fruits, these produce a gas called ethylene which makes flowers mature faster and die faster.

- Remove the wrapping paper by cutting it on the bottom or leave it on but making sure all the stems will be under the water. - Choose your favorite vase and fill it with water that has flower food dissolved according to package guidelines.

- Cut 1/4 inch of every stem, remove any excess foliage so that it won't touch the water, and place your arrangement in the vase you selected. Since your flowers stayed some time without enough water while being delivered, the pores of the stems might have dried and the flowers will not drink as much water. By trimming the stems, new pores will be in contact with the water, extending the life of your flower bouquet. Now that your flowers are in a vase go to the previous item and follow the tips for "flowers in a vase".

Flowers arranged in Floral Foam, in our experience, tend to last longer than in water as long as the foam stays wet and flowers never get moved around. The floral foam acts as a sponge and flowers absorb the water in it. Floral foam is used when a more intricate design is needed. There are some popular brands and types of floral foam out there but two of the ones we use the most are the ones made by Oasis and the ones made by Aquafoam.

- Keep the floral foam always wet (don't forget to dissolve the flower food in the water). Add fresh water (around 1/2 cup) every 2-3 days or as needed. By doing this, you are making sure that your flowers are always drinking water making them last longer.

To add water just look for a spot on the back of the container where you can see the foam and gently pour fresh water on it (with flower food dissolved in it to prevent bacteria from growing and damaging your flowers) until the foam looks wet. Be careful not to spill water on any furniture, it's best to add water on the kitchen's sink. While adding water, make sure not to move any flower. If a flower comes out of the foam, it will create an air bubble between the stem and the foam, interfering with the flower's water intake and making it die faster.

Also, be careful not to pour water into any flower as this will create excess moisture inside the flower creating mold and getting all the arrangement to die faster. It will never hurt to add more water as often as you like, the worst thing that can happen is that it might overflow. When floral foam is wet it has a different color than when it is dry:

Now that you know more about floral foam, go to the previous item and follow the tips for "flowers in a vase".

- Keep your plant away from air currents, and above 70F. Some sunlight is needed. - Remove leaves that start to wilt every week. Every plant has special care like how much water they need and how frequently they need it, for example, orchids and succulents only need water once a week. To learn more about how to care for succulents click here. To learn more about how to care for your orchids click here. The general guideline for a live plant to last longer is to always keep the soil wet without soaking it unless said plant prefers a drier medium. You can add around 6oz water every week if it needs it. When live plants have too much water, they drown and the roots tend to rot. A good trick to know if your plant needs water is to insert a toothpick for a couple of minutes into the soil, if it comes out dry, it needs water. To learn more about how to care for your houseplants click here.