Cut flowers at an angle
This trick is very important; cut the plants diagonally by 2 cm before placing them in the vase. Don’t be afraid to cut them too short, if the stems are too long it will take too long for the water to be absorbed and they will also die. By cutting the flowers you ensure an open entrance at the bottom so that the water can be absorbed by the flower.
By cutting it diagonally you get a larger surface area so that they can absorb more water. Otherwise, the vessels may become clogged and the flower will be able to absorb less water. The bottom of the stem, where the flowers have been cut off, can best be compared to a kind of wound. If the stems are out of the water for more than a few minutes, these ‘wounds’ grow closed and they no longer absorb enough water.
It is best to cut off the flowers with a knife; you have special blades, for example as a kind of cheese slicer with which you can cut them diagonally. Or with a regular sharp knife. A pair of scissors is not a good idea because you use them to squeeze the barrels closed a bit.
Do the stems get clogged? Then you can rinse them with fresh water and cut them off again. Just clean the vase and then you can put it back down!
Remove Excess Leaves
Leaves grow on most flowers, you remove these from the stems so that if you put them in the water, they do not come into the water. Preferably even up to the edge of the vase. If leaves touch the water, there is a greater chance that they will perish and the water will become cloudy due to the pollution and deposits are formed that can also block the flowers. Bacteria multiply very easily on leaves, causing stems to rot and flowers to have a shorter life. In addition, it also looks a lot more stylish and ‘airy’ when the vase is not completely overgrown.
Arranging flowers
Do you want to arrange a modern field bouquet with various colors and types of flowers? When arranging, take into account the distribution of colors. It looks best the way you would encounter the flowers in the wild. With flowers of different heights, angles and shapes, you create a little drama. Not symmetrical to keep it exciting, but in balance. Make sure that each flower has enough space to bloom.
Which vase should I use?
Tall bouquets look great in a tall slim vase. Preferably use a glass vase, so you can keep a close eye on the water level. Wash the vase with soapy water before use, because bacteria from old flowers can remain in the vase and affect the new bunch.
It is best to place the flowers in a vase with lukewarm water. If the water is too hot, the stems will be damaged and the flowers will no longer come out.
Add chlorine?
When I heard that you have to add a drop of chlorine (or biological cleaning agent) to the water so that the flowers stay beautiful longer, I was surprised. Until I heard why. You probably recognize that if you throw away the flower water, a deposit is left behind. Chlorine kills bacteria and by adding it to the water, the vase stays clean longer, so that the flowers last longer. A drop is enough, too much chlorine will only have the opposite effect.
Add sugar?
Another kind of grandmother’s tip; namely adding sugar to the water. You often get a bag with cut flower food (here) (often a combination of bleach and glucose) that you add to the water. After refreshing you can no longer add food. Instead, a drop of chlorine and a scoop of sugar will help. The sugar then serves as food for the flowers. One scoop is enough. Stir briefly after adding the sugar.
Did you know that flowers are sold online throughout the whole world nowadays? Even from Sweden, Russia, China and Brazil. For example in Sweden these flowers are called ‘mors dag blommor’ or ‘påskpresent’.
