Flower Care – The Top Secrets to Long Lasting Flowers

If you have ever received beautiful flowers from a loved one and have been saddened at the sight of them slowly drying, you know how important it can be to have proper know-how of flower care. Flowers given by your family, friends or significant others are a lovely token of their love, appreciation and good wishes, and so it becomes important to us to keep these flowers for as long as we possibly can. Here are a few tips on how to prolong the life of these cherished memorabilia.

Make fresh cut flowers last longer

If you have just received the flowers, you must not be negligent of their needs and must spend some time and effort on them to ensure they stay with you a little while longer. Follow these few steps you should follow:

• Make sure the flowers are fresh by squeezing where the petals meet the stem; if it is firm, the flowers are young and fresh.

• Clean the stems of any leaves and foliage below water level to discourage rot.

• Cut the stems about 1-2 inches from the bottom at a 45 degree angle.

• Use a large, clean vase to discourage bacteria growth and to give the flowers breathing space.

• Fill the vase with clean, lukewarm water and change it every day.

• Keep away from sunlight and warm spots in the house like stoves and fireplaces.

• Spray the stems and flower heads with water daily.

• Use plant food to provide nutrients the flowers are no longer getting from their natural habitat. This will also help new flower buds open up.

Some Unusual tips to try out

Although we are not quite sure if these unusual household tips work, there is no harm in trying a few out to extend the life of your beloved blooms.

• Use Aspirin – you can crush up some Aspirin and dissolve it in the water. This is said to discourage the growth of bacteria, but can make the stems go a mucky grey.

• Use bleach – This too is said to kill any bacteria present in the water promoting long lasting blooms. Add 1/4th teaspoon per liter of water.

• Use copper – Drop a copper coin into the water, along with some sugar. This can also help inhibit bacteria growth and make flowers last longer.

Preserve your memories

Every once in a while an event comes along which warrants much more than simple tricks to preserve what reflects their memories. Your wedding bouquet can hardly deserves to be made to live just a few days longer before disappearing into the dustbin forever. After all, it is the only thing you physically carry on that most special of days. So how can you make these flowers last a lifetime?

• Drying methods – there are some traditional and modern drying methods that you can easily try at home such as hang drying, pressing, using glycerin, the silica gel or sand method, and covering flowers in shellac. These DIY methods don’t give the best results however, shriveling, shrinking and distorting the flowers, as well as taking away the original bright hues.

• Professional services – The best way to keep your wedding bouquet alive forever is to use a professional service to preserve it in a high quality glass frame. Flower Secret has developed the most advanced and innovative technique to preserve your beautiful blooms. They give you everlasting wedding flowers with the same color, shape, size, look and feel as they had on the day you carried them down the aisle, so you can adorn your walls with your keepsakes for a lifetime.