Proper flower care is essential for making your fresh blooms last longer and maintain their beauty. Whether you’ve received flowers as a gift or purchased them for your home, knowing the right care techniques can extend their vase life by several days.
Taking care of fresh flowers doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools and knowledge, you can keep your flowers fresh and vibrant for maximum enjoyment.
This guide covers everything you need to know about professional flower care techniques used by florists, adapted for home use.
Key Takeaways
- Sanitized tools and clean work surfaces are crucial for preventing bacteria growth in flower arrangements
- Flower food and preservatives significantly extend the life of cut flowers when properly mixed with water
- Regular stem trimming at 45-degree angles allows for better water uptake
- Removing foliage below the waterline prevents premature decay
- Protective sprays like Finishing Touch or Crowning Glory create a barrier that helps flowers retain moisture
Proper Flower Care – 5 Steps To Longer-Lasting Flowers
I love hearing from my customers about how long the flowers they received or sent from our shop lasted. They’re often quite surprised.
We’re not surprised, however, to know the quality and care that the flowers we sell receive after harvesting to the time they leave our shop.
Proper flower care is a critical part of our business. But that care doesn’t end once you get the flowers home.
The flower care experts at FloraLife developed a program called “5 Steps to Fresh”. Designed for both the floral trade and end consumers, it lays out five simple steps to follow for longer-lasting flowers using FloraLife’s products. Learning these flower care techniques is not rocket science and only takes a few minutes.
The 5-Step Program in a Nutshell
1. Sanitize. Start by cleaning your work surface and cutting tools. In the shop, Floralife’s DCD Cleaner is our go-to general-purpose cleaner. We disinfect our flower buckets, vases, containers, and tools with it. We also spray it on all our design tables and other work areas.
We like it because we don’t need to rinse it. We wipe it down with a sponge and let it dry. It leaves behind a protective coating that lasts several days. That reduces the time and frequency of cleaning that’s needed.
Although it’s not as cheap as chlorine bleach, it saves time, lasts longer, and certainly smells much better, making it cost-effective to use it instead of bleach.
2. Hydrate. Before beginning to process your flowers, it’s a good idea to mix your floral preservative with water in the vase or container you’re using and pour a little Quick Dip (an inch or less) into a small bowl.
3. Nourish. Cut 1 – 2 inches off the stems of the flowers and greens you will place into your vase, and remove any foliage below the water line. Doing so will help keep the water from becoming cloudy, limit bacteria growth, and prevent premature wilting.
Do not remove all of the leaves on the stem unless they are damaged, as they are necessary for proper water uptake.
Once the flowers are cut and the foliage removed, dip the ends of the stems into the Quick Dip solution for one second, then place them into your vase.
4. Protect. When your flower arrangement is complete, lightly mist the entire arrangement with Floralife’s Finishing Touch spray. Using Finishing Touch helps flowers “breathe” and aids in the continued uptake of water and flower food.
Use it for flowers in a water-filled vase or a container filled with floral foam. We use it on every floral arrangement we create in the shop.
5. Continued Care. Flowers are living organisms that will continue to drink. Add additional water and flower food as needed. Repeat these steps each time you recut any flowers to ensure the longest possible vase life.
This video shows the “5 Steps to Fresh” program of cut flower care in action. It lays out the steps the pros use in flower care and handling.
If you are a DIYer who works with flowers for weddings and events, this video will help you understand proper cut flower care. Take a look, and I’m sure you’ll agree.
So, did you find the video helpful? I certainly hope you did. You now have the proper knowledge and tools to make all of your flowers last longer.
While we’re on the topic, all of the Floralife cut flower care products used in this video, including Quick Dip, flower food, and Finishing Touch, are sold on Amazon, eBay, and many of the other advertisers on this site.
FloraLife Finishing Touch Or Crowning Glory – Which Should I Use?
Although these two finishing sprays are similar, they are not the same. They differ in when and how they are used and applied. Here is the short answer, but you can read more about using finishing sprays here.
Finishing Touch should only be used on fresh flowers arranged in a vase, floral foam, or any floral design with a direct water source.
After finishing your floral arrangement, lightly apply it over the entire piece.
Crowning Glory is an “antitranspirant” finishing spray. Spraying onto a flower provides a protective waxy coating that seals moisture, reducing water loss. It allows the bloom to hold longer with no direct water source.
It should only be used on flowers without a continual water source, like corsages, boutonnieres, floral headpieces, flower crowns, and wedding bouquets and decor. Once you complete your design, thoroughly spray the entire piece and allow it to dry before storing or refrigerating.
We use these finishing sprays at the shop, and both perform well. For optimum results, using the correct type of finishing spray on your floral design is important.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I change the water in my flower vase?
Change the water every 2-3 days, adding fresh flower food each time.
Why do I need to cut flower stems at an angle?
Angled cuts create more surface area for water uptake and prevent stems from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase.
What’s the ideal temperature for fresh flowers?
Most flowers last longest in cool temperatures between 65-72°F (18-22°C), away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Should I remove all leaves from flower stems?
Remove only the leaves that would sit below the waterline, as submerged leaves can promote bacterial growth.
Can I use tap water for my flowers?
Room-temperature tap water is fine, but filtered water is better as it contains fewer chemicals that might affect flower longevity.
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