How to keep fresh flowers alive longer
By Radian Team
Fresh flowers are happiest when you treat them a little like you'd treat yourself on a hot day: clean water, a cool spot, and no crowding. Do these few things and most bouquets will look their best for noticeably longer.
Start with a clean vase and fresh water
Bacteria in the water is what shortens a bouquet's life fastest. Wash the vase before use, fill it with clean room-temperature water, and change the water every couple of days.
If your flowers came with a sachet of flower food, use it — it feeds the stems and slows bacteria at the same time.
Cut the stems at an angle
Before arranging, trim about a centimetre off each stem at a 45-degree angle with a clean, sharp knife or scissors. The angled cut gives the stem more surface to drink through and stops it sitting flat on the base of the vase.
Remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline — submerged leaves rot quickly and cloud the water.
Keep them cool and out of direct sun
Warmth and direct sunlight make flowers open — and fade — faster. A spot away from windows, heaters, and ripening fruit (which gives off ethylene gas) will keep them fresh longer.