So you were just surprised with a beautiful flower arrangement, and of course, you want to make it last as long as possible. As living things, fresh blooms have developed a (deserved) reputation for being fussy. Though caring for them isn’t always intuitive, it is easy once you know the dos and don’ts. Below, two professional florists share what mistakes you might be making with your fresh flowers at home.
- Mattie Bush-Martin is the founder of Amelia’s Flowers in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Sarah Donjuan is the founder of JJ’s Flower Shop in Atlanta, Georgia.
Don’t put your flowers in direct sunlight.
As tempting as it is to let your blooms shine in front of natural light, Mattie Bush-Martin, founder of Amelia’s Flowers in Nashville, Tennessee, warns against it. “Direct sunlight can dry flowers out and speed up wilting,” she explains. “Instead, find them a cool, shaded spot where they can really thrive.”
Don’t skip the fresh trim.
Bush-Martin insists that you should always give your stems a fresh cut before arranging them. The key is to do it at a diagonal angle: “This opens up the stem to absorb water more efficiently, keeping blooms hydrated and lasting longer.”
Don’t toss the whole arrangement.
Are a couple of your flowers wilting? That’s no reason to throw away all of them. “Just pull those flowers out and let the rest of the arrangement keep thriving,” says Sarah Donjuan, founder of JJ’s Flower Shop in Atlanta, Georgia. In fact, leaving the wilting ones there can shorten the lifespan of the other blooms, and even attract pests and diseases.
Don’t overwater.
“More water doesn’t always mean better care,” says Bush-Martin. “Filling your vase to the brim can actually cause stems to become soggy and promote bacterial growth.” Filling just a quarter of the vase with clean, room-temperature water is all your flowers need.
Don’t trim too short.
“You can always trim more off of a stem, but you can’t put it back,” Donjuan emphasizes. It’s worth taking a couple of extra minutes to trim slowly, instead of chopping off more of the stem than necessary. In addition to being more difficult to arrange in the vase, a short stem can compromise water absorption, which in turn will shorten the flower’s lifespan.
Don’t use hot water.
According to Donjuan, flowers greatly prefer cool, room temperature water over any other. Introducing hot water to the blooms can result in bacterial growth and generally shorten their lifespan. That said, when certain flowers like hydrangeas and dahlias are struggling, they can benefit from a hot water treatment to revive them.
Don’t let the water get stagnant.
We know it can be hard to remember daily maintenance, but Donjuan insists that “florals love a fresh water change every day.” Doing it helps prevent bacterial growth, removes fallen petals and decomposing leaves, and keeps unpleasant odors away.
Don’t forget to enjoy them.
“Cut flowers are fleeting by nature—that’s part of their magic,” Bush-Martin emphasizes. “So slow down, admire them often, and let them bring a little beauty into your everyday moments while they’re here.” Don’t mind if we do.
