So you’ve just received a beautiful arrangement of flowers, and you’re probably excited to put them in a vase to enjoy their beauty better. Before you do that, you need to know that you can preserve these blooms’ beauty far longer if you follow a few basic flower care tips.

Preparation

Once you get your flowers, remove the plastic wrapper they came in immediately. Then follow these steps below:

1. Make sure to wash the vase you will put your flowers in thoroughly, especially if you’ve used it for a previous arrangement. Hot soapy water will usually do the trick to get rid of any leftover bacteria.

2. Now once you’re done with your vase, it’s time to do some cutting. Trim about an inch off the stems of your blooms and cut at an angle (45 degrees) so the bottom of the stems aren’t sitting flat on the water. This allows for better water intake for your flowers.

3. Prune off any leaves that will be sitting below the waterline. The leaves in the water will rot, causing bacteria to flourish.

4. Fill your vase with water and place your blooms inside. Enjoy!

Maintenance

Now that you’ve prepared your flowers well, you should be able to enjoy your blooms for a few days more. But to keep them looking their freshest for a longer time, don’t forget these maintenance tips:

1. If the flowers came with flower food, use it. Always follow the directions on the package and only put in the recommended amount. Too much and it could harm your plant instead.

Why flower food? These usually contain the right amount of sugar to feed the flowers, acid to maintain the pH level of the water, and a bit of bleach to reduce bacteria in the water. (However, if you’re using a crystal or metal container, you can skip this step. The acid in the flower food may react to the lead in your crystal or with the metal.)

2. Do step 2 from our Preparation tips every few days. One way for flowers to keep looking fresh when cut is to have enough water intake.

3. Clean your vase thoroughly and change the water every two to three days.

4. Remove any fallen leaves or petals from the water.

5. If your arrangement can fit inside the fridge, do put it in at night before you turn in for bed. Low temps slow down the wilting process. You might have noticed this in some flower shops, where a few blooms are kept inside flower fridges.

Dos and Don’ts

There are dos and don’ts when it comes to where you should place your flower arrangement.

1. Never place your blooms under direct sunlight, appliances that generate heat, heating and cooling vents, or anywhere near drafts.

2. Don’t place the arrangements next to fruits or vegetables either. Vegetables and ripening fruits release ethylene gas which will cause your flowers to wilt a lot sooner.

Need a gorgeous flower arrangement now?

All of our flowers are 100% fresh, and we do same day delivery! Call our trusted Chicago flower shop at (800) 244-6357 to know more.