A tulip of bouquets is one of the loveliest gifts ever. And each time you get (or give) one, you naturally want it to last as long as possible. Expert florists have got a few tricks for that.
If you are giving a bouquet and not receiving it, the first thing to do is to choose fresh flowers. Otherwise, none of the tricks below will actually work. So always buy tulip bouquets from a good floral shop with a strong reputation.
1. Trim the Stems
So now, you got your bouquet or have presented it to someone. The steps you or they further complete are the same.
The first thing to do is to trim the stems. Ideally, you should do so at an angle and use sharp scissors. If you don’t have the latter, a knife will be okay, too. Cutting at an angle is helpful because when you do so, you increase the surface area for water uptake. The tulips will thus absorb as much water as they need.
Trim just about 1-2 inches from the bottom because you’ll need to repeat it after a couple of days. And then, again and again for as long as you have this bouquet.
2. Use Clean, Cool Water
This may seem super obvious but many people actually fill vases with warm water because they don’t know if that makes any difference or not. Well, it does. Tulips prefer cooler temperatures. Cool water helps to maintain their freshness. Warm water doesn’t.
Another important aspect here is to change the water every other day. Even in cool clean water, bacterial growth is, alas, probable. And it can clog the stems and hinder water uptake. This won’t happen if you change the water once every three days or so.
3. Add Flower Food
This one is not a must and you can actually skip it if you want to. But if you do add flower food, you’ll certainly prolong the life of your tulips. So, what’s that flower food? Typically, it contains
- sugars (for nutrition)
- acidifiers (to adjust the pH level of the water)
- bleach (to reduce bacteria).
If you don’t have commercial flower food, you can make a DIY version of it. Take a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice, and a few drops of bleach in a quart of water.
4. Keep Away from Direct Sunlight and Heat
Tulips look so beautiful on a windowsill. The issue is that they often feel bad there. What they actually want is
- a cool location
- no direct sunlight
- no heat (like one from radiators or appliances).
When flowers wilt more quickly than you expected them to, it’s usually because of the heat. So do protect them from it.
5. Avoid Ethylene Gas
Ehm, do you have this gas anywhere around? Quite possibly, in fact! Ethylene gas is emitted by fruits like apples and bananas. And yes, it causes tulips (just as any other flowers) to age prematurely.
It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat fruit, of course. Just keep your tulips away from fruit bowls.
6. Support the Stems
Few people know but flowers, including tulips, continue to grow even after being cut. And this is exactly why stems often curve or droop. All you need to do in this regard is to use a tall vase. You can also add a few marbles or stones at the bottom of the vase.
7. Monitor Water Levels
Tulips are thirsty flowers as you’ve probably understood already. At the very beginning, you cut their stems to help them drink. And they will drink. So the next task is to actually see to it that they have enough water every day.
8. Use a Pin to Prevent Drooping
If despite all measures discussed above, tulips still start to droop, try a florist’s trick: poke a small hole with a pin just below the flower head. This will release the air trapped in the stem. The water will thus reach the flower more effectively. This simple step can perk up drooping tulips and extend their life.
9. Keep the Vase Clean
We’ve already said that the water must always be clean. But so is the vase. That is, each time you change the water, clean the vase, too. It’s also important to clean it thoroughly before placing the bouquet in it and then, you can just rinse it with water every time.
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Now you know what professional florists do to keep flowers fresh for longer. As you see, there aren’t any steps you wouldn’t be able to complete on your own. They are super simple and, meanwhile, effective.