Have you ever received an extravagant bouquet of flowers only to find them either wilted within 3 days or create such a stench that makes you question if the person who bought them for you did it out of kindness or simply to torture you. To round out a great week I spent my Friday morning with THE OUTNET to celebrate the new season in bloom and learning how to compose beautiful arrangements. I must confess that I’ve always haphazardly thrown my flowers into water with no thought on how to care for them. To say that I learnt a thing or fifty today is probably an understatement.
Tips to Make Your Flowers Last Longer
Here are some easy ways to make sure your flowers go that extra mile for you!
1. Cut the Stems at an Angle – this ensures proper water absorption and should be done with a sharp knife to ensure that you’re not crushing the stem.
2. Remove Excess Foliage Along the Stem – have you ever wondered what that putrid smell is after just a few days of placing your flowers in a vase? This is generally a result of having too much foliage from your flowers submerged and has caused a build up of bacteria in the vase. Gross right? Try to remove all the leaves from the stems before arranging the flowers.
3. Change the Water & Wash the Vase Thoroughly – when the water becomes cloudy then its time to change the water and make sure to wash your vase out with soap. Simply rinsing the vase under water doesn’t remove the bacteria and can cause the flowers to deteriorate further.
4. Keep Them Away from the Sun – this one seems pretty obvious but if you were placed under the sun for 8 hours a day what do you think will happen to your skin? Heat can cause the flowers to dry out and wilt faster so keeping them in cooler areas of your house will keep them looking fresh for longer!
5. Use the Sachet of Floral Preservatives – florists can usually provide a few extras if you ask nicely or I’ve read that you can make your own at home with just 7up, bleach and water.
What does everyone think of my flower arrangement?
Location: My Violet – 4/17-21 George Street, Redfern, 2016
Instagram: @mivioleta
