How to Make Fresh Flowers Last Longer

Fresh flowers bring energetic joy to any room. Whether they’re in a vase on a kitchen counter or in a cascade along a wedding arch, fresh cut flowers make the ordinary special. When you invest in a beautiful flower arrangement, use these insider tips to extend the life of your flowers.

1. Always buy fresh flowers

Ask your floral designer how long your flowers have been in stock. At Ornamento, floral designer Orna Maymon visits fresh flower markets daily and purchases directly from growers. Fresh flowers last longer in your home because they haven’t been in storage. Blooms that aren’t fresh waste the flowers’ precious lifespan.

When choosing flowers yourself from a flower market or shop, think about the way you choose vegetables at the grocery store.

Flowers should be tight and strong. They should feel firm when gently squeezed.
Look closely. You don’t want to see any of the pollen.

2. Keep flowers hydrated

Whether you picked up flowers at the grocery store or you ordered a custom arrangement from a floral designer, water is crucial to keep flowers alive.

When you buy flowers at the store, don’t leave them in your warm vehicle. Keep stems in water or at the very least wrapped in a damp cloth or in damp paper towels.
When you buy an arrangement, follow the instructions sent by your designer. Keep the arrangement watered regularly.

To avoid discoloration in the water, make sure only the stems are in the water — no leaves. If the water starts to look clouded or dark, drain it and add fresh water. You can even add a teaspoon of bleach to the water to avoid bacteria growth. Be sure to use very warm water. The flowers drink it up more quickly!

3. Feed your flower arrangement

Fresh-cut flowers in a vase continue growing. Blooms open and expand, and all of that beautiful development takes a lot of water and nutrients. You can try making your own plant food supplement, but the easiest way to keep your flowers healthy is to use the packet of flower food your floral designer provides you with. Ornamento’s arrangements have been conditioned with flower food before delivery, making additional packets of food unnecessary.

4. Avoid direct sunlight

Unlike your house cat, flower arrangements don’t enjoy sitting in a warm sunbeam. Keep your fresh flowers in a shaded spot in your home. Hot temperatures and direct sunlight wilt flowers that would have otherwise stayed firm and vibrant.

Consider moving arrangements to the coolest area of your house at night when you’re sleeping.
Keep small arrangements in your refrigerator at night to extend the life of the flowers.

5. Re-arrange your arrangement

Every fresh bloom has a unique lifespan. Now that your arrangement is at home with you, you’re the boss. Your arrangement should last a long time, but eventually all flowers will wilt. Be creative and enjoy the flowers you’ve invested in.

Remove wilting flowers and leaves from your arrangement as they appear. Don’t be afraid to re-arrange flowers to spotlight the blooms that live longer. You can even add blooms to a different vase.
Re-cut all stems before you add them to a new container.
Never mix old flowers with new flowers. The old flowers will make the new ones look old and wilt more quickly.

“I like to spray the flowers with fresh water — just a puff to help them come back,” says Ornamento’s floral designer Orna Maymon.

What will you create with your flowers?

Photos by Gustavo Fernandez