How to keep flowers in a vase for a long time
Keeping flowers at home or at work has a great impact on the mood of the people around you.
But all flowers stay fresh for a limited time after being picked. In this article, we will discuss ways to increase the shelf life of flowers in a vase.
How to keep flowers for a long time?
♣ Pick flowers at the right time. Different flowers should be picked at different times. To make them last longer. The best time to pick flowers that have several flowers on each branch, such as lilies, is when at least one of the flowers has started to open and the color inside is clear. For flowers like roses that only have one flower on each branch, the best time to pick them is when they are fully open and then pick them.
♣ Pick flowers during the cool time of day and night. The best time to pick flowers is in the early morning hours, and then the end of the night is a good time to pick flowers. During these hours when the air is cooler, the flowers have retained more moisture inside.
♣ After picking the flowers, place them in a clean container with warm water at a temperature of about 43 degrees Celsius and in a cool environment for 2 hours. Water absorption in flowers is higher at this temperature, and the coolness of the environment also causes them to lose less water. This process is called hardening.
♣ Remove leaves that fall from the flower into the water or have grown in the underwater part. These leaves are a good food for bacteria to grow in the water and reduce the life of the flower.
♣ Change the water in the vase every day with clean, cool water and remove all debris and fallen leaves from the vase. If your flower is in a sponge, also put the sponge in the water every day so that it absorbs enough water.
♣ Daily or every few days, shorten the flower stem from the bottom with scissors or a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle by a few centimeters. After cutting the stem, air may enter the stem and make the water absorption process more difficult. To prevent this problem, immediately place the flower in a vase of water after cutting the stem or, if possible, make the cut under water.
♣ Place the flower in a suitable environment, away from direct sunlight, heat from the TV, or any other heat source. Place the flower away from fruits that release ethylene. Also, do not place the flower under a ceiling fan.
♣ Remove wilted flowers from the flower. Otherwise, the ethylene gas that wilted flowers release will cause the remaining flowers to wilt.
♣ Add flower preservatives to the vase water. Buy flower preservatives from florists and add them to the vase water. If you do not have these ingredients available, you can produce these preservatives at home. The first method is to use Sprite soda. In this method, for every tablespoon of Sprite, add 3 tablespoons of water and a few drops of laundry bleach. This will create an acidic environment and sugar that will prevent bacteria from growing in the water. Another method is to add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon, a tablespoon of sugar, and a few drops of laundry bleach to a liter of water.
