Whether as a wedding gift or tasteful living room décor, flower bouquets are a stunning way to brighten anyone’s day. Their diverse textures and vibrant colours catch the eye effortlessly, and their pleasant aroma can lift even the worst of moods.

But in the words of a famous Robert Frost poem, “nothing gold can stay”. The once brilliant hues will start to fade over time to more subtle vintage colours, and petals will begin to droop. While this can be a deliberate aesthetic choice, especially with proper drying and preservation techniques, some may want to maintain that fresh look.

If that is what you are looking for, we have you covered! Take a look at these simple flower care tips to maximise your bouquet’s time in the limelight.

Provide plenty of clean water

Flowers are living things, like you and me! And just like us, they need water to stay strong and healthy. Larger flower arrangements sometimes come with a vase of water from the florist, but if your bouquet did not, place it in a vase or container filled with fresh water as soon as possible.

Once your flowers have their water source, it is necessary to keep it clean. The stems of flowers are vulnerable to bacteria, especially when sitting in still water for too long. The simplest solution is to change out the water every 2-3 days even if the water has not been used up. This keeps the water source fresh and healthy, ensuring that your gorgeous flowers do not start to rot.

Even with this water changing schedule, you can casually give your vase a check every day to see how the water level is doing, if time allows. The tip of every cut stem should be submerged at all times, so that your flowers have plenty of water to stay happy and hydrated. If you have some available, you can even add flower food to give your flowers the nutrients they need to flourish.

Re-cut the stems regularly

Each time you replace the water, you should cut the bottom of the stems at an angle by about half an inch (~1.3cm). You may have realised that this sounds counter-intuitive; why cut the thing you are trying to protect?

Well, the ends of stems can break down rather quickly, which can make the flower struggle to absorb water. By retrimming the stem, you expose the fresh tissue which can suck up water much easier, improving the overall health of your flowers.

However, cutting can easily cause trauma if you are not careful. You need to use a sharp knife or sharp scissors so that you make a clean cut. The last thing you want is to accidentally crush the stems, which can clog or destroy the water vessels. If the first cut you make is not clean, you can consider cutting it again. Better to waste a bit of stem than have your flower dry up unexpectedly.

Avoid ripening fruits and vegetables

What do fruits and vegetables have to do with flowers? Fun fact: flowers actually develop into fruits after being pollinated! This process is triggered by a colourless and odourless gas produced by plants, called ethylene. Fruits, especially bananas and apples, continue to release this gas as they ripen.

If your flowers catch a whiff of this gas, they may decide that it is time to lose their petals and let the fruit be born. Of course, no fruit is going to come out of it, and you would be left with a dead flower. Save yourself the trouble and keep your flowers away from fruits and vegetables.

Keep them in a cool and shady place

Flowers enjoy chill vibes just as much as we do. Most flowers last the longest in moderate temperatures, ranging from 18-22°C. Keeping them away from direct sunlight and heat sources, like your TV or kitchen stove, can prolong your cut flowers’ lives. You also do not want them too close to your aircon or ceiling fan, since those can accelerate the drying process.

Both sunlight and heat can trigger the flower to mature and wilt faster. For the best results, keep them in a comfortably dim and cool spot.

Conclusion

With these simple flower care tips, your flower bouquets will be looking fresh and gorgeous for a long time to come. For high-quality bouquets that are worth keeping around, and more specific care advice, you can consult a reliable online florist in Singapore. Our specially designed bouquets are a unique fusion of chic and urban sensibilities, guaranteed to brighten up your home.