3 Simple Ways to Make Flowers Last Much Longer
If you’ve ever done the January Cure, you know how much we at Apartment Therapy love flowers. Put simply, cut flowers are beautiful, add life, and help humidify the air. They are a small, healthy gift to give your home, and a great way to instantly refresh your space, for very little money. Here are a few tips for making them last.
1. Put a Copper Penny in Your Flower Vase
Flowers really only need a couple of things to stay happy, and clean water is one of the big ones. Copper has natural antimicrobial properties, and while we don’t pretend to understand the science behind it, we tested the penny theory a couple of years ago, and it did make a difference (make sure your penny was minted before 1982, when they were still mostly made of copper). Similarly, if your bouquet arrived with a “flower food” packet, use it. Among other things, it contains bleach, which also reduces bacterial growth.
2. Use a Baster to Remove Dirty Water
Change the water in your vase—ideally once every one or two days—before it gets dirty and cloudy. If you don’t mind rearranging the flowers a second time (or used a rubber band to secure them in the first place), take the bouquet out of the vase, scrub its interior, remove anything dead, re-trim the stems and add more nutrients. But, if you’re thrilled with how they are, and worry about making them look that good again, use a turkey baster to slyly remove the old water, then refresh with new.
3. Stick Them in the Fridge
There’s a reason that florist shops have coolers that house their precious and fragile inventory. Warm rooms and direct sunlight make flowers wilt quicker. Keep your floral arrangement in a cool, shady place during the day, and then put them in the fridge overnight while you are sleeping. Take them out in the morning, and enjoy!
Want to learn more about flowers?
- 5 Simple Hacks That Make Flowers Look More Expensive
- 6 Foolproof Steps to Flawless Flower Arrangements All Summer Long
- Florist Secrets: How To Process Fall Flowers Like a Pro
- How to Think Like a Florist When Choosing & Caring for Fresh Flowers at Home
- Be A 10-Minute Pro: The Best Flower Arranging Tricks We Know