Top Tips for longer lasting blooms

So go on then,  be honest.  When you are given flowers (if you are lucky enough - no-one ever buys me flowers!)  what do you do with them?  8 out of 10 people will probably say they dump them in the first thing they can find and leave them on the side......everyone loves receiving flowers but most people don't treat them correctly and as a result the flowers they have been given will last a fraction of the time they should.  Now, not only is this a crying shame it also reflects badly on the provider of the flowers and on the person that has spent good money on buying you something lovely. 

So by spending 5 minutes when you receive your flowers, properly treating them and by changing the water every 2 or 3 days your flowers will last significantly longer....maybe up to a whole week longer depending on where they are placed in your room. 

So come on everyone, we all know what to do but here is a little reminder of a few simple steps to follow whan you receive your flowers to keep them looking fresh and lovely for longer....

(1) Unwrap your flowers and remove all foliage from underneath the water line.  This is REALLY important as anything below the water line will quickly start to rot and bacteria will gather in the water, making it green, smelly and killing off your lovely flowers....

(2) Using a sharp knife or scissors cut at least 3cms off the bottom of your stems at a sharp angle.  This allows maximum drinking surface for each flower to take up as much water as possible keeping it hydrated and fresh looking.

(3) Place your stems in FRESH water in a super clean vase, the water should be fairly deep for most flowers.  You can use flower food but to be honest if you change the water frequently its not neccesary.  If its very warm weather/room then a tiny drop of bleach will keep that bacteria at bay.  I can't stress how important it is to change the water often.  Try it....it really will extend the life of your flowers.

(4) Where you place your flowers can make a big differrence to how long they last.  If you put them near a radiator or in direct sunlight they will not last very long. 

(5) Spritzing with water now and again keeps them perky.  Pick off any flowers that are looking tired.  This instantly refreshes the arrrangement.

All the above takes no time at all and your flowers should last a goiod week or longer.....happy flower arrangeing....