Let’s Talk About The Wither – How To Extend The Vase Life Of Your Flowers

How do we help our gorgeous cut blooms stay ravishing?

We’ve talked before about the warm and fuzzy emotions a beautiful floral arrangement can illicit. The wonderful thing about giving flowers is that all those good feelings stirred up when they were received are remembered every time we glance over at our vases. They also go a long way to enhancing interior space – so it makes sense to make sure we’re getting the most out of their aesthetics and fragrances.

How Can I Extend The Vase Life Of My Flowers? 

First you’ll need to know how long your flowers should last to begin with – of course this varies from flower to flower. The table below is a guide* for the vase life of different types of flowers.

(*bear in mind that this data was collected in a scientific setting so we should assume that there will be some variance for longevity in “Real world” environments such as offices, homes and hospitals)

What other factors affect vase life?

Grower Methods And Conditions

Good florists know that the climate that flowers are grown in (eg. soil type, altitude, sun/cloud exposure, dry/damp weather) has a significant impact on flower quality. Great florists (Hello!) care that this affects the eventual vase life for customers. Here at Sydney Flowers, we understand the importance of the selection process. We care about the conditions of our source flowers, from cut-points (the point in a life stage cycle that the flower is cut) to post harvest care.

Florist Environment

How a florist transports cut flowers to their shop and how they maintain them upon arrival further impacts vase life. At Sydney Flowers, we ensure our flowers stay clean (we want make sure flowers flourish, not bacteria) , hydrated and with optimum levels of nutrition to make sure our customers are purchasing flowers in the best possible condition.

Customer Care

This is where you come in! Basic flower maintenance is so important for the longevity of your beautiful blossoms. Re-cutting the flowers correctly before putting them in a clean vase with good quality water, removing excess/sad looking foliage and having optimal room temperature all go a long way to getting the most out of the arrangement.

So if we know that optimal room temperature is important – how do we maintain our blossoms while enjoying the warmth of fireplaces and heaters?

1. Don’t keep your flowers in close proximity with a heaters, vents or fireplaces. The excess heat causes dehydration and the flower life will be cut short
2. Do keep a close eye on vase water – topping it up daily may be necessary in colder months. As soon as you notice the water looking cloudy, replace it with fresh clean water.
3. Before the flowers are put in the vase, make sure the stems have been re-cut at an angle. This slanted cut helps with hydration primarily by stopping the stem from sitting directly on the bottom of the vase and obstructing water flow. (Be mindful of the stem when cutting – gentle hands! If the stem is crushed, the vascular system of the plant will also be crushed, cutting the life of the flower significantly. Avoid scissors – try and stick with sharp knives or clippers.)
4. When moving your flowers away from heat spots, make sure you don’t move them near the fruit bowl! Fresh fruit emits ethylene gas, helping it to ripen. Fantastic for your bananas, terrible for your blooms!

Making sure our customers are happy is so important to us at Sydney Flowers. We are always happy to have a chat and share some tips and tricks for flower maintenance that will extend the vase life of your bouquets. Be sure to let us know if you have any questions or queries!