How to keep cut flowers fresh

Flower seeds grow into stunning cut flowers, but did you know that daffodils, tulip bulbs and dahlias can also be displayed indoors? Of course, they look great in your garden or in a pot too – but it’s always nice to have a fresh bunch of flowers in a vase. Read on for our tips on how to grow your own cut flowers and keep them fresh. 

What are cutflowers?

Cut flowers are flowers that you grow in your garden and then cut to place in a vase in your home. These flowers have a long stem, which makes them easy to cut and arrange in a vase – so you can add a touch of colour to both your garden and your living room!

Placing your flowers in a vase

Before you start, make sure your vase is clean. You can also add a drop of chlorine to inhibit bacterial growth, and you don’t necessarily need to add flower feed. If you’ve just cut the flowers from your garden, you don’t need to cut the stems at an angle because the base will still be wet. If the stems have dried out a little, it’s a good idea to (re-)cut the end of the stem diagonally to help the flower ‘drink’ the water in the vase.

Place the flowers in your clean vase and make sure that there are no leaves drooping in the water. Leaves will introduce bacteria into the water, which can shorten the life of your cut flowers.

Tips for a longer vase life

So, how do you keep cut flowers fresh once they’re arranged in the vase? It’s all about the location. Make sure that tulips, daffodils and dahlias aren’t positioned close to ripening fruit; fruit gives off ethylene gas, which will accelerate blooming and shorten the life of your cut flowers. Flowers prefer to be kept away from draughts, full sun and high temperatures, so don’t put them near a radiator as this will shorten the life of your bouqet.

If you really want to pamper your flowers and keep them looking fresh for as long as possible, clean your vase and refresh the water every few days. Your flowers will thank you for it.

They love a treat – just like we do!

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