Fresh cut flowers are those commonly found at your nearest florist. They come in a variety of colors and choices and you have the option to choose any variety of flowers of any color to make your own bouquet. As beautiful as fresh cut flowers are, it is quite unfortunate they do not last long. However, there are ways we can ensure that the flowers that we purchase lasts longer. The obvious tip is to choose the freshest flower. The secret is in the petal. Flowers with firm and upright petals are considered to be freshest and make sure that you purchase flower buds or those that are just beginning to bloom.

The following are some tips on how to prolong the life of the cut flowers:

The vase or container that you choose to place your flowers has to be clean and filled with cool or lukewarm water

Cut of the leaves from the stems from below the water line of your container and cut of one or two inches of the bottom stem to allow the flowers to absorb water easily

Flowers last longer in cool / cold atmosphere therefore do not leave the flowers overnight in warm rooms and do not place them near heat or heat generating appliances

Flowers in water tend to generate slime caused by bacteria. To avoid this, use a few drops of household bleach and a spoonful of sugar. Even though there are commercially produced flower foods available in the market, it is not as effective as the combination of bleach and sugar.

Re-cut the bottom stems every few days to allow better water absorption and fill your vase or container with fresh water everyday.

Certain flowers need special care. For instance, bulb flowers like daffodils lasts longer if their stems are snipped across at an angle and by removing the sticky white secretion. Woody stem flowers like roses last longer if their bottom stems are crushed and split to allow them to absorb water easily. To stop tulips from slumping over, the bunch should be wrapped tightly with wet newspaper left in 2-3 inches of water for at least one and half hours. Then push small pins through the stems just below the flower heads and voila the flowers will be upright!