Keep Flowers Fresh Longer

If you’re anything like me, you love having fresh flowers around the house but struggle to keep them alive for more than a few days.  Here are a few tips that I’ve found useful in keeping a vase of flowers fresh for a much longer period of time!

·      Cut stems diagonally- Once you’ve determined how much you need to cut the stems to fit your vase, cut them at an angle rather than straight across.  This allows the flowers to absorb more water.  I like to alternate with each stem to mix it up. 

·      Cut slits up the stem- After cutting the stems down to the right height, cut up each stem just a bit to open up the bottom.  I like to cut 2-4 slits, depending on the width of the stem. 

·      Run stem ends under warm water- Running the tips of the stems under warm (but not too hot!) water helps to melt some of the sap and allow the flowers to get more water from the vase.

·      Add sugar and lemon juice to vase- If your flowers came with a mixture to add to the water, add that when you first fill your vase.  If not, add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar and a splash of lemon juice to the water before placing the flowers in the vase.  You can also add sugar and lemon juice to the water after a few days or so to revive flowers.

~Alyssa