10 Tips for Longer Lasting Blooms
People are constantly asking me “How do I make my flowers last longer?” This is such a great question, with multiple answers.
First of all, it’s good to have some realistic expectations regarding how long flowers should last.
Most flowers average a “vase life” of 5-7 days. That means if the flowers are cut, handled and displayed properly, you can expect them to look good for 5-7 days.
However, there is a huge range in vase life. Some flowers, such as Poppies, Sweet Peas and Dahlias have a short vase life, averaging about 3-4 days. Other flowers, such as Lisianthus, Snapdragons and Sweet William can look good for 14+ days in the vase!
Below, you will find my best tips for the longest lasting blooms. If you follow all of these tips, you should be able to extend your vase life by a couple days!
1. Cut Early or Late in the Day
I know it sounds dreamy to wander around in a field of flowers on a bright sunny summer afternoon, cutting a bouquet... but don't.
JUST DON'T. Afternoon is the worst time to cut flowers, so avoid it as much as possible. Flowers cut in the heat of the day will last half as long as those cut in the cool parts of the day.
Dawn and dusk are the best times to cut flowers (when the sun is low on the horizon).
If you are having problems with a certain flower wilting immediately and never recovering, or flowers that don't last long, I would suspect you are cutting at the wrong time of day.
Certain flowers/foliage need to be cut earlier than others. For example, if I try to cut Lemon Basil after the sun has risen over the horizon, it will immediately wilt. I know I need to get out there early and cut before sunrise.
You will need to do some trial and error to figure out what works.
Moral of the Story: Get your buns out of bed before the sun is up. ;) It's truly the VERY best way to start your day.
2. Keep it clean
Bacteria is often what causes cut flowers to wilt and wither prematurely. Your clippers/scissors/shears should be clean and sharp.
Wash or wipe down your clippers with rubbing alcohol periodically, ideally before every cutting session.
Your buckets and vases also need to be sparkling clean. If you wouldn't drink out of it, then it's not clean enough!
Yup, I’m going to say it again. Your bucket must be clean enough to drink out of. Trust me. It makes a big difference. If you put those freshly cut stems into dirty water in a dirty bucket, you’ve ruined them.
3. Cut at the correct stage
Unfortunately, there is no “one-size-fits-all” rule for the ideal stage of cutting. It varies with every single type of flower. Again, there is going to be some trial and error here!
With some flowers, such as poppies, sunflowers and cosmos, you want to cut them right when they are beginning to open/bloom, in order to have the longest vase life. Cut these flowers earlier than you think and enjoy watching the flowers open up in the vase!
On the opposite spectrum, dahlias and zinnias do NOT continue to open after being cut, so they must be allowed to bloom fully on the plant before being cut.
Most flowers are somewhere in between. Foxglove, snapdragons and delphinium, for example, are best harvested when the bottom 2-3 blooms on the stem have opened up.
For some flowers, especially Zinnias and Black-Eyed Susans, it's helpful to perform "The Wiggle Test". Grasp the stem about 8" below the flower and wiggle it. If the flower flops around, it's not ready to be cut. If the stem remains firm, cut away!
4. Make deep cuts and remove foliage
When you are out in the field, be sure to make "deep cuts" - that is, cut your stems at least 12" long or more. A good guideline is to measure the stem with your arm before cutting - the length from wrist to elbow is just about right. You can always cut them shorter later!
Cutting deeply will actually signal the plant to produce even MORE long stems, so don't be shy about cutting deeper than you think. As long as you leave 2-3 sets of leaves near the base of the plant, you should be good!
Immediately after cutting, gently strip or cut off all the foliage from the bottom 2/3 of the stem. Leaves/foliage will muck up the water quickly, so get rid of any leaves that will touch water!
I repeat - no leaves/foliage in the water!
5. Hydrate properly
After cutting and stripping off the foliage, immediately place the stems in cool, CLEAN water in a CLEAN bucket or vase. Don’t allow freshly cut stems to sit out of water for more than a few minutes or the stems ends will callus over and prevent water from flowing freely up the stem.
It's best to cut stems at an angle, so they don't sit flush with the bottom of the bucket. An angled cut also creates a larger surface area for the stem to draw up water.
If possible, it's best to allow the flowers to "rest" in a cool place out of the sun for a few hours (or overnight) before arranging. Some flowers need a few hours to "re-hydrate" and perk up.
For example, if I need some arrangements for Friday evening, here is what my timeline looks like:
Thursday - cut in the evening (or morning)
Thursday overnight - allow flowers to rest and rehydrate in CLEAN water in a cool location
Friday morning - arrange flowers and store in a cool location
Friday evening - display flowers
6. Avoid Sun and Heat
Do NOT set your bouquet in direct sun. While sun is necessary for flowers to grow, once they are cut, they need to be kept AWAY from the sun. A windowsill might not be the best location!
Heat also causes flowers to expire more quickly. Be aware that a bouquet picked and displayed in the heat of the summer will not last as long as a spring or fall bouquet... unless you keep your house very cold with air conditioning!
7. Keep Flowers Away from Fruit
Ripening fruit, like bananas, apples, avocados, peaches and pears, produce ethylene gas, which causes flowers to wilt prematurely. If you have fresh fruit on your kitchen counters, the kitchen is not an ideal location to display your flowers.
Some flowers, like Sweet Peas and Dahlias, are particularly sensitive and will expire quickly if subjected to ethylene gas.
We always have fruit sitting out in our kitchen, so the dining room or living room is where I display mine!
8. Change Water Daily and Re-cut Stems
Fresh, clean water and a sparkling clean vase will significantly extend the life of your bouquet. Dirty water breeds bacteria and clogs the stem end of the flower, reducing water intake.
Make sure there are no leaves/foliage in the water!
Re-cutting the stems every few days will also allow the flowers to keep "drinking" properly.
There are a few types of flowers that make the water mucky and nasty almost immediately. If any of these are in your arrangement, you’ll likely need to change the water every single day and possibly even add a drop of bleach to the water. Just a few drops! Not a teaspoon, unless you want to bleach the color out of your flowers. Ask me how I know this ;)
Flowers that muck up water:
Zinnias
Black-eyed Susan
Yarrow
Stock
Ornamental Kale/Cabbage
Oregano
9. Choose Water Wisely
Depending on where you live and what type of water you have, it might be helpful to use filtered water for your bouquets.
If you have softened well water, the salts in the water could cause your flowers to expire faster. Try filtered water instead (or water from your outdoor hoses).
10. Use Flower Food
Search the internet and you will find about a million different hacks for keeping your flowers fresh. Some work, some don't.
Flower food (I use FloraLife) is the best choice because it contains:
Sugar (to feed the flowers)
Acid (to maintain correct pH)
Bleach (to kill bacteria)
Soda comes in a close second to flower food. The sugar and acid in the soda mimic the effects of flower food. Choose a clear soda (like Sprite or Sierra Mist) to keep the water looking clean. Add a few tablespoons each time you change the water.