The best way to get the longest vase life from your flowers is by purchasing locally grown. The less time spent in transport, means more time for you to enjoy. Here are our top 3 tips:
Photograph by Cristian Ordonez (Floralora Flowers)
1. Avoid bacteria build up
As soon as you get home with your flowers, trim the stems at a 45 degree angle and place them in a clean vase or container with water. Bacteria is the main reason for short vase life. So keep foliage above the water line to ensure less bacteria grows in the water.
2. Keep hydrated
Don't assume your vase should be filled with cold water! The only blooms that like cold water are bulbs - tulips/hyacinth/etc. The rest, they prefer luke warm water. Don't be shy about sprinkling your water with flower food, it will extend the life of your flowers. But, what your flowers really want is for you to feed them fresh water every other day. If you really want to make them happy, clean your vase between water refreshes.
3. Consider where you place your blooms
The window sill is often a go-to location for fresh blooms. But don't do it! Keep your flowers cool and out of direct sunlight. The sun will make them wilt, and nothing is sadder than a fresh bunch of flowers gone limp.
Ethylene is not a friend of flowers either. So keep your arrangements away from ripening fruit and tomatoes, which produce ethylene. Ethylene is a naturally-occurring plant hormone that is released as fruits ripen, but for flowers, it causes them to spoil prematurely.
