How to keep flowers in vases. How to keep flowers

And bright tulips delight the eyes and heart. But sometimes it becomes a pity that such beauty quickly fades in our homes. And the question arises, how to keep the flowers?

Many people think that florists and sellers have this knowledge. But even at home, using simple and useful advice, you can extend the life of flowers. And how to do it - I'll tell you now!

How to choose the right bouquet?

Preparation must begin with the choice of a bouquet or the right cut:

When buying, you need to pay attention to the color of the cut of the stem. It should be light and green. If the stem has darkened, then you must stop your choice on another flower.

A plant that has been standing for a long time will have dried leaf tips. You need to choose flowers that have elastic and dense buds. Fully blossomed - will not stand for a long time.

If you decide to pick flowers in your own garden, it is better to do it in the morning with a sharp knife... After that, you need to place them in warm water and let them stand for about 8 hours, or better all night.

It must also be cut at the correct flowering period. If there is only one flower on the stem, then it is cut when it has fully blossomed.
If only a few inflorescences have blossomed, then you need to wait for the bud to fully open.
The choice of a vase in which the bouquet will be located is equally important. It is necessary to select a vessel according to the size of the flowers so that the stems are not close to each other.

If the bouquet was brought from frost, then first you need to give the plants time to move away from the temperature drop, and then just put it in the water.

How to extend the life of flowers at home?

The main reasons for the wilting of flowers in a vase is the lack of sugar and water in their tissues.

In order for the flowers to stand in the vase longer, you must adhere to the following steps:

Cut off the stems.
Arrange flowers correctly.
Kill bacteria.
Feed the bouquet in a vase.

At first glance, it seems that there is nothing difficult in caring for plants. But in each of the stages, many nuances are hidden, which we will talk about further.

Cutting the stems

The cut of the stem must be done under water so that the vessels are not clogged with air. This is done obliquely with a sharp knife.

Due to the oblique cut, the area that absorbs moisture increases. Experts advise not to remove the bouquet from the water in order to preserve its beauty and freshness for a longer time.

Basic tips on what and how to cut:

Flowers with a hard stem (roses, chrysanthemums) must be cut obliquely with a knife.

In flowers with a thick stem (dahlia), you need to pour water and close the hole with cotton wool or gauze.
If the composition contains branches of shrubs, for example, jasmine or lilac, then their tip of the trunk must be split and all leaves must be removed.
Daffodils, tulips and other soft-stemmed plants need vertical incisions. This is best done with a needle.
To keep the mimosa in the vase, the ends must be crushed.

For better moisture absorption, the ends are split and matches are inserted.
If the plants have long stamens, these should also be removed.

For all blooming pets, there is a simple way to preserve beauty: you need to remove the lower leaves, and the roses also have thorns. This will prevent water decay.

Correct plant placement

Before placing the bouquet in a vase, it is advisable to give it a rest. To do this, wrap the ends with wet paper and place the bouquet in a cool place. At this time, you can collect water so that it settles.

If you carry along the street beautiful bouquet in the cold season, it needs to be wrapped in newspaper. Some flowers cannot stand frost even for 10 minutes.... You also need to let them rest and get used to room temperature.

There are separate requirements for the amount of water in the vase. The best option would be to immerse the plants 5 cm.

But some flowers absorb a lot of water. For example, daffodils and chamomile. Roses and tulips are preferable to be placed deep in contrast to gerberas.

The location of the vase is also important:

Drafts and direct sunlight should be avoided.
It is better not to place flower arrangements near heating and electrical appliances.
Plants will last longer in a cool room.

Flower arrangements should not be placed next to fruits, as they accelerate the wilting process due to the release of gas - ethylene.

It is also worth remembering that some flowers do not match with each other. Representatives of flora with a pronounced odor (lilies of the valley, roses, lilies, orchids) are best placed separately from others. But geranium and thuja, on the contrary, will maintain freshness.

Disinfection of water

The withering of the bouquet in the vase is facilitated by bacteria that multiply very quickly in the water. If you take measures in time, namely to disinfect it, you can enjoy the beauty longer.

For water disinfection, use the following:

charcoal;
aspirin;
vodka;
salt;
washing powder;
vinegar and sugar;
potassium permanganate;
soda;
hair fixation spray.

The nuances of using disinfecting elements:

A piece of charcoal thrown into the water slows down the stem rotting process. In the old days, charcoal was replaced with a silver coin.

A crushed aspirin tablet will disinfect and kill bacteria. You need to add it every time you change the water.
Alcohol will also help save flowers... Vodka needs to be added after every water change, just a few drops.

Table salt will help maintain freshness. Half a teaspoon of salt, dissolved in water, will prolong the life of roses and dahlias.
Using washing powder the main thing is not to overdo it. This is a pretty aggressive method. It is recommended to add powder at the tip of a knife. For roses, it is also replaced with bleach or dishwashing detergent.
Solution apple cider vinegar and sugar can be made by hand. To do this, thoroughly stir in water 2 tablespoons of vinegar and the same amount of sugar.

Before putting the bouquet in a vase, it must be held for an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. It will kill bacteria and the flower arrangement will last longer.
If you replace plain water with carbonated water, you can enjoy the freshness of the bouquet for a long time. And the added soda as an antiseptic will disinfect the water.

Do not use dark carbonated drinks, they can be sour.
Every woman has hairspray. They can process inflorescences and stems. To do this, you just need to spray them at a distance of 1 meter.

Feeding flower arrangements

The most popular method is when sugar is added to the water for flowers. Dilute 1.5 teaspoons per liter of water. This solution will appeal to tulips, carnations and daffodils.

In addition to sugar, other household products are used:

aspirin - you need 1 tablet for roses and chrysanthemums;
vinegar - a weak solution is suitable for dahlias;
alcohol - for asters, you need to add 1 teaspoon to 1 liter of water.

For those who do not want to independently prepare solutions, special ready-made additives are sold in the store. They contain disinfectants and nutrients. You need to carefully apply such means. Instructions for use are indicated on the packaging.

Powder additives should first be diluted in water and only then added to the flowers so that the plants do not burn.

What should be done every day to preserve the bouquet?

By doing the following every day, you can maintain the beauty of the compositions for a long time:

change the water every day, and the solution with disinfectant components every other day;

cut off dry leaves and buds;
trim the ends;
during the day, spray it with water from a spray bottle several times, and at night it can be immersed in cool water.

And now we will analyze how to keep flowers at home correctly and for a long time:

It is necessary to change the water daily and wash the vase so that bacteria do not form. Flowers that stand for a long time , periodically you need to remove, wash the stems and cut them off.

Not only should the water be clean, but also the vase. If it is dirty or dust collects in it, then microbes will quickly enter plant tissues.
For quick resuscitation of flowers in a vase, you can dip their ends in boiling water. Before your eyes, buds that have slightly withered will gain vitality.

If the flower arrangement contains unblown buds, add half a teaspoon of ammonia to 1 liter of water. Such an additive for flowers in water will noticeably speed up the flowering process.
The water in the vase must be settled. Of course, it is best to use spring, rain or thaw. But if there is no way to get one, it will do from the tap at room temperature. In summer, I advise you to use cooler water.

There is one interesting way called "hardening". In this method, cut flowers are placed in water at a temperature of 43.5 ° C. Then they put them in a cool place. Hot water begins to move faster through the structures of the plant due to the cool air. They lose less moisture.

Thanks to this ingenuous method, flowers stand in a vase for a long time.

Output

Let me summarize: it is easy and simple to extend the beauty and life of flowers at home. This does not require special devices and mechanisms, expensive tools and hard work. In fact, the price of the funds that I have described in detail is a penny.

Remember that everything is in your hands. You need not be lazy, and devote 10 minutes daily to this business. You will learn more information on the topic from the video in this article.

Easy ways to do the life of a flower in a vase is long and bright.

1. If you vomit your bouquet yourself, it is better to do it early in the morning, when the flowers are as full of juice and viable as possible.

2. Before placing the flowers in the vase, remove all excess vegetation along the stem. For a lively bouquet, leave no more than a couple of leaves. Not only do the leaves break off the roses, but the thorns break off, they also steal a lot of water from the flowers. In flowers with dirty and pungent-smelling pollen, the stamens are cleaned.

3. You need to put flowers in a vase after refreshing the cut. The cut should be done with a sharp knife (not scissors) in an oblique manner to increase the number of cells in contact with the water. Dense and woody stems are recommended to split or break, the ends of thin stems are scraped. Flowers with watery stems love cold water with ice.

4. Many a well-known recommendation is not to put a vase of flowers next to fruits and berries, because the fruits emit ethylene, which is harmful to flowers. At the same time, many people, in order to refresh and "preserve" their bouquet, put it in the refrigerator overnight. But you hardly have a separate refrigerator for flowers at home. There are probably many products in your refrigerator that produce this gas. Overnight in an enclosed space, they will poison your bouquet much more than the cold can support it. So it's better to limit yourself to a cool bath - submerge the stems in water, leaving the flowers to float on the surface.

5. Damage to the health of flowers can be caused by their fellows, therefore, prefabricated bouquets should be made very carefully. Roses are especially bad with other flowers, and daffodils, lilies of the valley, lilies and carnations have a detrimental effect on neighbors.

6. It is recommended to add granulated sugar or acetylsalicylic acid to the water to nourish the flowers. In order to prevent bacteria from actively multiplying in the water, activated or charcoal is added to it,boric, salicylic, camphor, ethyl alcohol or vodka, pine extract or potassium permanganate; aspirin is only good for bouquets with dense, non-watery stems. Yet folk recipes urge to pour a teaspoon of vinegar (not acetic acid!) into the vase or sprinkle citric acid on the tip of a knife.

7. If you are someone who appreciates all the benefits of progress, you can buy a special nutritional supplement for your particular bouquet at a flower shop. This is not necessary at all, chemistry does not greatly extend the life of cut flowers. However, when buying a bouquet from the store, check if it was fed with anything artificial before selling it. Such substances stimulate the flower's ability to absorb water, the plant develops a kind of dependence, and by itself it becomes spoiled and lazy. Once in a vase of bases of such funds, the bouquet will wither faster than expected.

8. Much more effective chemistry flowers will support regular care: every day refresh the water in the vase and the cuts - the shorter the stem, the fresh flower... When changing the water, rinse each stem thoroughly. Most flowers like to be sprayed from spray bottle.

9. As already mentioned, the shorter the stalk, the easier it is for the flower to get drunk. Therefore, sometimes you can leave the usual type of bouquets in a vertical vase and make horizontal compositions in low but wide vases. There are two ways to fix the position of a flower in it. First, resort to the help of a floristic sponge - "oasis", it is sold in flower shops. Secondly, on top of the vase, you can pull a net of transparent thin tape, making peculiar compartments for flowers - the flowers will not fall apart and bunch together, each will have its own separate room.

What kind of care each particular flower requires, we will tell you very soon. And you can read a few more tips on keeping cut flowers fresh.

We wish you more reasons to give and receive flowers, as well as give and receive flowers for no reason at all!

The best gift for a woman, as you know, is a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Unfortunately, cut flowers at home wither quickly enough. But your favorite roses or tulips can keep their freshness if you follow our advice on how to keep flowers in a vase longer. And chemistry and various chemical elements will help us in this difficult matter.

General information

At the beginning of the 20th century, the first methods of preserving flowers using chemical methods appeared. What did the experimenters do in the hope of preserving the pristine freshness! Freshly cut flowers were treated with potassium permanganate, solutions of potassium nitrate, aspirin, boric or even nitric acid was added ... However, the effectiveness of such actions was very low. However, having accumulated enough material, chemists realized that there are three main types of chemical compounds that help maintain plant life. They are divided into:

metabolic inhibitors, i.e. inhibiting them,
growth stimulants that support the life of plants,
antiseptics and preservatives - substances that prevent decay.

Currently, a lot of different complexes have been developed to extend the life of flowers. They can be freely bought in flower shops or in shops for summer residents. Here are a few names of such ready-made mixtures: "Chrysal", "Vitant", "Bud", "Bouquet", etc. However, today we will tell you how to keep flowers longer at home with the help of improvised means.

What must be done before placing flowers in a vase

The procedure for preparing flowers is always the same: be sure to remove excess leaves and trim the stem. For these purposes, we use only a sharp knife, and make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees. Scissors are bad in that they injure the stem, as if flattening it. It is best to prune underwater to prevent excess air from entering the stem. Then do not forget to change the water in the vase every day, cut the ends of the stems and spray the flowers with a spray bottle. Cold baths give a very good effect: in the evening for a short time, but completely immerse the flowers in cold water. The water temperature should be lower than the air temperature in the apartment, it is about 10-15 o C. Now let's move on, in fact, to the methods of preserving flowers.

How to keep flowers longer at home

As we saw above, there are 3 main groups of substances that help keep flowers. By consistently applying knowledge, we will be able to ensure that the bouquet delights us as long as possible.

First, we will treat the flowers with an antiseptic. A wide variety of microorganisms are always present on the stems of plants. Reproducing, they provoke rotting processes, thereby shortening the life of the cut flower. To protect against microbes, you can use potassium permanganate, boric acid or ammonia. Drop a few drops of the substance into water and place the stems there for about one hour. Tulips and carnations are very fond of this treatment. In order to prevent the growth of bacteria in the water in the vase, add a quarter teaspoon of baking soda to it. You can also safely use any carbonated mineral water in a vase.
Charcoal placed on the bottom of the vase is an excellent remedy for cut decay.
For all colors, adding 2-3 aspirin tablets to the vase is suitable.
Regular sugar will help keep the flower alive. To do this, simply add a couple of tablespoons of sugar to the vase. It is also very good to add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar there.
If you add a teaspoon of alcohol to a liter of water, then asters and chrysanthemums will stand much longer.
But roses love salt. Half a teaspoon is enough for a vase.

As you can see, extending the life of a bouquet is quite simple. To do this, it is enough to use simple chemical methods, how to keep flowers longer.

Every time a person receives a bouquet of flowers as a present, he hopes to preserve this beauty for as long as possible. However, the life period of cut flowers does not always meet expectations. There can be many reasons for this - from various signs, such as the fact that the gift was not from the bottom of the heart, to dishonesty of florists who, in pursuit of profit, sell not very fresh copies.

However, there are several secrets on how to keep cut flowers in a vase longer, which you will learn about in this article.

Proper care to keep flowers longer

Freshly cut flowers, like ordinary potted flowers, require proper care. The bouquet of flowers in a vase is influenced by various factors - both the quality of the water and the temperature. Therefore, if the question arises of how to store flowers longer, each of these aspects should be considered in more detail.

Water

As a liquid for flowers, ordinary tap water is quite suitable. However, it contains a considerable amount of salts and bleach, which have a very negative effect on the bouquet.

Therefore, flowers are best preserved in water, passed through a filter, or settled for some time.

Important: take into account the fact that some varieties of flowers continue to grow after cutting (for example, anemones, hydrangeas, etc.), and as a result, they actively consume liquid, which needs to be refilled periodically. Also, if the bouquet has been standing for a long time, a bad-smelling film should not form in the vase. In this case, the water needs to be urgently replaced, and the stems need to be rinsed.

Cutting off the stem and removing foliage

After you get the flower arrangement in your hands, the first thing to do is shorten the stem and remove the bottom sheets. These manipulations will allow the flower not to waste vitality on unnecessary parts and stay fresh longer. In addition, greens placed in liquid begin to rot after a while.

However, if you are doing such actions for the first time, then, most likely, you wondered how much you can cut so that the flower not only does not lose appearance, but did not die immediately. Here are a few points to keep in mind:

Make the lower cut obliquely, removing no more than one centimeter. Then cut the stem vertically so that it divides into two parts. The length of such a section should be approximately one and a half centimeters. It is recommended to perform these manipulations with a clerical knife blade. However, if you can't find one, you can resort to sharp scissors. A blunt instrument, on the contrary, will harm the flower.
Leaves can be removed a maximum of two-thirds of the entire length of the stem. In addition to the lower ones, attention should be paid to those that have lost their color brightness and have withered. They can be cut with scissors or torn off by hand. In the latter case, you must try to break off the leaf so as not to damage the stem.

Temperature

Many people know the children's saying "A rose withers from frost, and a carnation from warmth", but not everyone wondered about its veracity. In fact, for each type of flower, there is an optimum temperature that must be observed.

Temperature + 5 is favorable for peonies, lilies, tulips, irises, carnations, roses, daffodils.
+ 5 and above for: gladioli, cymbidium, anthurium.

Advice: if you are thinking about how to keep the bouquet of roses longer, then remove all the leaves from the stems that are under water. This will avoid rapid decay. But thorns, if any, are better not to break off, without them the flowers will not stand for a long time.

Neighborhood with fruit

You should not be careless about the choice of the location of the vase. It is recommended to place the bouquet in a place isolated from fruit. This is due to the active production of ethylene by this product, which contributes to faster maturation of plants. As a result of such a neighborhood, the buds and leaves of flowers can very soon collapse.

This mainly applies to bananas and apples, as well as tomatoes.

Top dressing for cut flowers

In addition to the above points, there are a number of components that are recommended to be added to the water in the vase. Any of them can be found in almost every home.

Most of these methods help to extend the life of flowers by disinfecting the liquid in which bacteria actively multiply.

Streptocide

This medication is allowed for free dispensing in pharmacies, its purchase does not require a prescription, as well as large material costs. Basically, the drug is used for various skin diseases, as it kills bacteria during wound suppuration. It is on the antibacterial properties of streptocide that its use in the floristic direction is based.

In order to disinfect the liquid with this agent, one of its sachets should be diluted in three liters of water, in which the prepared flowers should be placed afterwards.

Apple cider vinegar + sugar

In most cases, pure sugar is used as a top dressing. On average, about one and a half teaspoons of sugar should be added per liter of liquid. In this ratio, a kind of glucose solution is created, which has a positive effect on flowers.

However, for some varieties, sugar water can be supplemented with vinegar, which must be poured in no more than a tablespoon. Such an environment is "like", for example, dahlias.

Aspirin

Acetylsalicylic acid is a drug whose action is similar to streptocide. To achieve the effect, one tablet should be diluted in a liter of settled or filtered water. Such a solution is more favorable for chrysanthemums and roses.

Lemon acid

Another compound to which many types of cut flowers are located is water with the addition of citric acid. To obtain the required concentration in a liter of liquid, it is recommended to dissolve half a teaspoon of lemon.

Bleach

Keep the water in the vessel as clean as possible long time you can add literally one drop of ordinary whiteness to it. But in this case, it is still worth observing the measure.

Coins

If there is absolutely no means at hand, then just throw a copper coin into the vase before placing the bouquet there. The impact of this object is due to the material of which it is composed. Copper particles react with water and start the oxidation process, which contributes to long-term storage of flowers. For greater effect, add a piece of refined sugar to the liquid.

Cold exposure

Very often, flowers begin to wither from the high temperature of the room in which they are located. You can remedy the situation by placing them in the cold for several hours. But if the refrigerator does not allow for the size to put a bouquet in it together with a vase, then you can only put the plants themselves. Wrap the ends of the stems with a wet cloth, and put a plastic bag or cling film on top.

Soda

You can also extend the viability of purchased flowers with the help of baking soda, which is actively used in other directions by gardeners. To do this, you need to make a weak soda solution in which the plant is placed. It is required to observe the following ratio: one teaspoon of powder is poured into one and a half liters of water.

"Sprite"

Despite its well-known destructive effect, soda is quite helpful in the struggle for the longevity of cut flowers. This is explained by the considerable sugar content in the drink, which saturates the flowers.

A medium-sized vase of flowers requires only a quarter of a standard glass of soda to achieve results. It is best to use a colorless "Sprite", because it will not spoil the aesthetic appearance. But if you have a vessel made of dense non-glass material, Coca-Cola will do just fine.

Important: Whatever fertilizer you use for flowers, try to avoid getting it on the buds themselves. The same applies to spraying greens to saturate them with moisture. Spray the liquid without touching the flower itself.

Despite the fact that cut flowers in bouquets play more of a decorative role, remember that these are also living organisms that need care and attention. And since they delight you with their beauty, they are definitely worthy of due attention in return.

Whether it's a bouquet of roses from a loved one, a friendly bouquet of daisies from a fan, fresh peonies from your own garden, or a bouquet of tulips impulsively bought on your way home, there are several useful tips that will help you keep these flowers fresh and beautiful for much longer.

1. Buy only fresh flowers

If you buy roses yourself, always check how fresh they are. This can be done by squeezing the flower where the stem ends and the bud begins. If this part of the flower is soft, then the rose is old, you should not buy it. If solid, then the flower is fresh.

2. Don't leave flowers without water

Water keeps flowers alive. The longer the flowers are left without water, the less they will stand. Therefore, if you buy flowers yourself and want to keep them longer, listen to these three recommendations:

Ask to pack the bouquet in an individual container of water.
Take a container of water with you so that you can immediately place flowers in it after purchase.
Wrap the base of the stems in damp paper towels.

3. Remove all wilted petals and leaves

To keep the water in the vase cleaner and fresher longer, remove any rotten leaves and petals. Especially carefully clean the part of the stem that will sink into the water.

Leaves in the water promote the formation of bacteria that are harmful to flowers. Moreover, when the leaves get into the water, it becomes cloudy and takes on a putrid smell.

4. Cut back the stems often

Before placing the flowers in the vase, pay attention to the base of the stems. You may notice that some of them are dry. It is necessary to cut off such places.

Cut the flower about 3–5 cm. Do this under running water or immerse the stems in a container of water. This is necessary so that air bubbles do not clog the vessels of plant tissue and do not interfere with the absorption of water by the flower. The flower should be trimmed at a 45-degree angle to increase the suction surface of the flower.

It is a good idea to trim the stem a little (about 1 cm) daily or every other day. This will give the opportunity for the flowers to receive a steady supply. nutrients and water.

5. Use a sharp knife to cut flowers

Scissors tend to pinch the stem too tightly, causing tissue damage. Therefore, for these purposes it is better to use a sharpened knife. And in the case of thick stems, garden shears come in handy.

6. Place flowers only in a clean vase.

It is very important to always place flowers only in a clean vase, washed with hot soapy water. This will remove all microorganisms that are harmful to flowers.

7. Change the water more often

Some flowers grow even after they have been cut. For example, anemones continue to grow and consume huge amounts of water every day.

Look at the hydrangeas in the picture above, and you will notice that they have absorbed three quarters of the water in the vase in a day.

We are used to pouring tap water into a vase. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you want to extend the life of the flowers, then pour salt-free water into the vase. It can be obtained by running water from the tap through a filter, which today is almost in every home.

8. Feed the flowers

Once the flowers are cut, they no longer receive nutrients from the soil. And this becomes our concern if we want to extend their life.

In any flower shop, you can purchase a special powder for preserving freshly cut flowers. You can add a little baking soda to the nutritional powder (¾ teaspoon per liter of water). This will help keep the water clean and clear and will slow down the formation of bacteria and microorganisms harmful to flowers.

Just do not overdo it with baking soda, otherwise you will ruin the flowers that you want to keep.

9. Spray flowers

Almost all flowers love moisture, so they will only benefit if they are sprayed about 1-2 times a day.

10. Store flowers in cool places

Flowers last longer in cool places. Move them there overnight and always keep them away from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, and direct sunlight.

Temperature also matters when the flowers are cut. If you are doing this yourself, do it in the morning when the air is cooler.

You've probably heard that adding aspirin or vinegar to the water can prolong the life of flowers. But there is another interesting method - soda water. If you pour soda into a vase, the flowers can look great for up to two weeks (according to eyewitnesses). I have not tried it myself. If you tried, let me know in the comments.
Simple copper coins dipped in a vase of water can also help preserve the flowers. Copper will act as an oxidizing agent and inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms.
Another tip is for tulips. Submerging the stems in ice-cold water every morning and shortening them by 1 cm per day will keep the flowers longer.
Hydrangeas consume a lot of water, so instead of spraying, you can simply quickly dip them in a bowl of cold water.

So, now you have enough tips in your collection that will help you keep your next presented bouquet much longer. And if something is forgotten, our video will help to quickly refresh them in memory. :)

By the way, on our YouTube channel you can find many more useful tips that will make your life easier and better. ↓

If you have any tips that were not included in our list, or experience on how to extend the life of flowers, please share in the comments. I am sure everyone will be interested to know about them.