Beautify Your Blooms With These Easy Tips From Classy Flowers

Imagine that you've just had flowers delivered to you.

Do you opt to stick them in a vase wherever you can find a spot, leaving them there until it's time to pitch the bundle? Or do you care for them?

Well, the answer should be the latter. Tending to your blooms can not only make them last longer, but keep them looking fresh and beautiful throughout their days in your home. Here are some tips that can make the most of your special decorations.

Finding a Place for Your Vase

• Keep fresh flowers away from drafts and extreme temperatures. Both can quickly dry out your new blooms and cause wilting.

• If your bouquet came in plastic, remove it as soon as possible.

• Do not place your arrangement near fruit or in the path of cigarette smoke. The ethylene gas is detrimental to many flower types.

• Avoid placing flower arrangements in windowsills or other areas where full sun may wilt them due to overheating.

• Most flowers will last longer in cool conditions.

Keep Your Flowers Looking Fresh

• Keep your vase filled with water! All flower and foliage stems should be submerged. Flowers stay fresher, longer when they can get a drink!

• If your flowers came in a basket or other container with foam, add fresh water every day.

• Immediately remove dead or wilting leaves and stems from your arrangements.

• Watch your water. When it gets cloudy it's time to change it out.

Changing The Water

• First remove any dead or dying flowers from the arrangement.

• Now carefully remove the good flowers and clean the vase thoroughly with soapy water to remove any bacteria that could cause the fresh flowers to deteriorate even quicker. Be sure to rinse very well.

• Replace the water and mix in the flower preservative provided by your florist, according to the instructions on the packet.

• For best results, cut stems with a sharp knife at an angle about 1 to 2 inches from the bottom. This allows them to better absorb water. Do not use scissors to cut your flowers because they can crush the stems and prevent water absorption.

• Place loose stems or wrapped bouquets of fresh flowers in your water mixture as soon as possible.

We hope these tips help you maximize the time your beautiful flowers stick around. For more information about Classy Flowers, in the Patch Places Directory.