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Secrets for Keeping Cut Flowers Looking Fresh

Flowers by author Meghan Carter

  • Type of water and food to use in your vase.
  • How to cut the stems of your flowers.
  • Best places for fresh cut flowers in your home.
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    Flowers may be one of the most beautiful and easiest ways to decorate your home. No matter what type you choose, they always look beautiful, and if you pick wisely, they'll even give your home a nice scent. Basically, flowers are always a smart decorating choice. There's really no better way to put. You can't go wrong when you decorate with flowers.
    But, if you have a black thumb like me, you can go wrong when caring for them. Every time I brought a fresh bouquet home, they always seemed to die prematurely, and after awhile, I finally began to realize it was probably my fault and not a serious of sickly plants. So I visited my local florist shop, H.J. Benken Florist and Greenhouse, to discover the right way to care for cut flowers. While at Benken's, floral designer Vickie Wenstrup set me straight on my flower care basics and politely tried not to laugh when I told her I put my flowers in the sun - exactly where you never should put them.
    Here are the instructions Vickie gave me on how to care for cut flowers. I was shocked by how much care flowers required, but if it keeps them pretty and perky, it's definitely worth it.

  • As soon as you get home with you fresh flowers, fill a clean vase with lukewarm water. Yes, it is supposed to be lukewarm. Don't skip that step. As Vickie explained, using slightly warm water helps the stem to soak it up faster, and don't think using hot water will give you extra credit. It doesn't work that way. Lukewarm water works best.
  • Once your vase is full of water, add flower food to it. If you don't have flower food, you can use a combination of sprite and an extremely small drop of bleach. Just know that flower food works better.
  • After you have your vase all ready, take your flowers and remove all of the leaves from the part of the stems that will be submerged under water. It is okay to keep the leaves on that will be above the water.
  • Next, cut the stems at an angle and quickly put them in the vase. You do not need to cut the stems of your flowers under running water. According to Vickie, it's been proven that it's not necessary.
  • Once you've arranged your flowers how you like them, it's time to put them in the right place. Avoid putting your flowers in direct sunlight where they will get too hot or next to anything that produces heat such as microwaves, refrigerators or televisions. You should also avoid placing your flowers next to air conditioning units, which will chill the flowers. Look for places that stay a constant room temperature, and your flowers will appreciate it.
  • To keep your flowers looking best, you must take care of them each day - and you thought you were done. Cut flowers need fresh water each day, which means you must start the process all over again. Empty the old water from the vase, and quickly clean the vase. Fill the vase with lukewarm water and add flower food to it. Give each flower stem a fresh cut, and put the flowers back in the vase.




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