Preserving Fresh Cut Flowers

Anyone else impatiently awaiting Spring?!? Ok good. I thought it was just me. 😂 I love Spring! To me Spring is about new growth, new beginnings, and an abundance of fresh flowers, specifically peonies. 😍  Soon enough fresh flowers will be taking the place of my faux flowers used in the winter months and I couldn’t be happier! Don’t get me wrong, I do love my faux flowers, but sometimes there is nothing like the real deal, and in the case of fresh flowers vs. faux, the fresh flowers always wins.

You’re probably thinking fresh flowers are expensive, but on the contrary. I purchase mine from Trader Joe’s. They have an excellent selection and are super inexpensive!! They sell a 3 stem bunch of peonies for $5.99 or a 3 stem bunch of Hydrangeas for $4.99!! Both are usually expensive (if buying from a florist) especially peonies, so I was happy when I stumbled across the peonies there last Spring.

However, I was purchasing 1-2 fresh bunches every week due to my flowers dying so quickly. Especially Hydrangeas. 😥  I was seriously killing my hydrangeas within two days of bringing them home. 😳 So I reached out to my friend (who owned a flower shop) for advice on how to preserve fresh cut flowers. Her tips really made the blooms last longer, so I am sharing her tips & tricks with you. 😊

Tip 1: Don’t have the florist cut the flowers, if you are buying from a florist. This tip isn’t relevant if you are buying from a grocery store. Having fresh cut flowers out of water can prevent appropriate water intake and ultimately shorten the life. You’ll want to cut them when you get home right before putting them in water.

Tip 2: Cut each stem at an angle with a knife and not scissors. Scissors can damage the stem and ultimately cause the flowers to not absorb the water needed for survival. I just used a serrated kitchen knife.

Tip 3: Make a 1 inch incision (using a knife) up the stem after you have cut them at an angle to help the flowers absorb the water.

Tip 4: Remove excess leaves from the stems. I know the leaves make the blooms look fuller, but the excess leaves will suck up all the water, which will shorten the life of the blooms.

Look at all those leaves!! 😳 No wonder my hydrangeas were dying after two days. I did keep a few at the top, but all the other leaves were removed.

Tip 5: Fill a vase a little over half full with lukewarm water. Not hot and not cold.

Tip 6: Use the packet of flower food that should be provided when you purchase the flowers. Stir the water before adding the flowers.

I NEVER used the flower food and have been told by other friends to use aspirin or 7up, but my florist friend told me that using either of those can promote bacteria growth, ultimately shortening the life of the blooms. Good to know, right?!?

Tip 7: Replace the water every 3-4 days and cut the end of the stems (at an angle) each time you replace the water.

Taking my friends advice kept my blooms alive for about two weeks. That’s about a week longer than usual for me. Yay!!! I was so happy to see my hydrangeas still going strong after 10 days. These tips saved me money too, since I stopped buying them every week. 😊

Well friends, that’s it for this post. I hope you enjoyed it and take these tips into consideration when purchasing fresh flowers in the future.

Until next time. Have a great day! Xoxo