Our 3 top tips for flower care:

1. Change the water every 2-3 days.
2. Trim the stems at the same time you change the water.
3. Give them a comfy spot - away from the sun, drafts, and heat.

Want to go above and beyond to take care of your flowers? Here are 3 more ways to extend their vase life:

1. Remove any spent blooms, so the others can keep shining!
2. Put the arrangement in the fridge. Make sure the blooms don’t touch the sides of the fridge and there is no fruit.
3. Add flower “food.” 

Yellow or cloudy water is a clue that there is bacteria building up in the vase. This is a natural process, but it shortens the life of your flowers. There is an easy fix - change the water! If you have the time, you should also clean the vase and trim the stems.

Clean water is key to keeping your flowers fresh for as long as possible. It’s best to change the water in your arrangement every 2 to 3 days. This will keep bacteria at bay and help the flowers stay hydrated.

Wilting is a natural process for cut flowers. When we remove the beautiful bloom from its root system, we reduce its ability to access water and nutrients. Some flowers and greens will wilt faster than others in an arrangement. You can extend the life of your cut flowers by following the other tips I share on the Florist Answered Questions page. When the inevitable happens, and part of the arrangement begins to wilt, simply remove the parts that are wilting. Removing the wilted stem will allow the other blooms to continue to shine as long as possible.

Plants that are in the garden or a pot love to be in the sun. However, once we cut flowers off the plant, the blooms prefer to be kept out of the sun. If they are placed in a window, the sun and heat will cause the flowers to mature more quickly (aka shorten the vase life of your arrangement.)

Flower food is not required, but can extend the vase life of your flower arrangement. “Food” is a bit of a misnomer. This chemical is more about preventing bacteria in the water than providing nutrients to the flower. Using fresh, clean water is the best way to keep these flowers looking beautiful. 

For more information visit: https://extension.msstate.edu/blog/does-flower-preservative-really-work#:~:text=The%20flower%20food%20found%20in,have%20done%20in%20the%20past!

When flowers are cut from the plant, a “wound” is formed. This wound starts to “callus,” which can make it difficult for the flower to stay hydrated. Trim your flowers when you change your water (every 2-3 days), so that the stem can get a refreshing drink of water.

To trim the stem, use a clean pair of pruners. Trim about 1-2 inches off the bottom at an angle.

You want to be sure there are no leaves below the water line, which will help prevent any bacteria that may try to grow and extend the life of your bouquet. When you first bring the flowers home, you shouldn’t need to do anything with the leaves. However, when you trim the stems or if you plan to use a lot of water, simply pull off any leaves or blooms that would be in the water.

Fruit emits a gas that could reduce the vase life of your flowers. We recommend that you place fruit and flowers away from each other for maximum flower enjoyment.

Skomp Gardens flowers are grown here in Hancock County and are often sold within just a few days of harvest. This means that you aren’t guaranteed to receive any particular flower type. Please visit our Facebook or Instagram page to see what flowers are blooming this week!