Making a Bouquet Last Longer

A beautiful bouquet deserves to stay fresh as long as possible. The good news: a few simple steps, taken as soon as you get home, noticeably extend the life of your flowers.

First step: recut the stems. With a sharp knife or clean pruning shears, cut about two centimeters at an angle. This lets the stem drink better. Also remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline, since they rot quickly and cloud the vase.

Good habits

• Use a clean vase, washed with soap
• Fill with fresh water and add the flower food provided
• Change the water every two days and trim the stems a little
• Remove wilted flowers to protect the others

Placement matters as much as care. Avoid direct sun, drafts and the neighborhood of a fruit bowl: as fruit ripens it releases a gas that makes flowers fade faster. A cool, bright spot is ideal.

Finally, remember that a drooping flower can sometimes be rescued. Recut the stem and set it in fresh water for a few hours. If you have questions about a particular bouquet, drop by: we love to talk about it.