Floral Top | White Denim
Fresh flowers in the house is a fabulous way to beat the dreary spring days we've been having. I typically buy bouquets from Trader Joe's every 2 weeks or so, depending on how long they stay fresh. Unfortunately, some weeks I get busy and forget to tend to the flowers and they don't last as long (oops!). There are tricks to keeping those blooms fresh and today I'm sharing 5 fail proof methods to help those flowers last longer.
Fresh flowers in the house is a fabulous way to beat the dreary spring days we've been having. I typically buy bouquets from Trader Joe's every 2 weeks or so, depending on how long they stay fresh. Unfortunately, some weeks I get busy and forget to tend to the flowers and they don't last as long (oops!). There are tricks to keeping those blooms fresh and today I'm sharing 5 fail proof methods to help those flowers last longer.
- Wash Your Vase Thoroughly - Using hot water mixed with a small cap of bleach, use a sponge to wash the vase. Air dry by setting the vase upside down on paper towel. This step will prevent bacteria from contaminating the water.
- Room Temperature Water - Never use cold water! Flowers take in warm water more efficiently than cold water so fill the vase with water and allow to sit until room temperature. Allowing the water to sit will also get rid of air bubbles with can get stuck in the flower stem inhibiting water intake.
- Flower Food - Those little packets that you get when you buy flowers is pretty important for maintaining fresh blooms. Flower food typically contains 3 ingredients: bleach (bactericide), sugar and an citric acid (acidifier). Bleach eliminates harmful bacteria. Sugar provides flowers with the energy to allow them to blossom. Citric acid balances the PH of tap water, dissolves air bubbles and improves the effectiveness of the bleach. If you don't have flower food from a packet, make your own! Here's a simple recipe: 1 teaspoon of household sugar, 1 teaspoon of clear unscented household bleach, and 2 teaspoons of lemon/lime juice.
- Prep the Stems - Remove leaves from the bottom half of the stems, this will help keep the water cleaner. Cut the bottom of the stems at an angle. The angle allows for a greater surface area for water intake.
- Regular Checkups - Keep an eye on the water, if it starts to look cloudy then it's time to replace the water and flower food mixture. While the water is being changed, it's also important to remove any dying foliage and trim a little more off the bottom of the stems. Keeping the ends clean allows more water to be taken up, making the flowers last longer.
Hope these tips help keep your flowers fresh!!
