It can be disappointing to be gifted – even if by yourself – a fresh bouquet of beautiful blooms, only for them to start drooping a few days later. While a quick change of water might feel like you've done your bit, florists say a handful of common mistakes could be shortening the life of your flowers. Some are obvious, while others are far more surprising, including one everyday kitchen offender and the bottlecap-like seal that can occur on your stems. Fortunately we've rounded up the easy-to-fix solutions.
Why your flowers can't drink
You've refreshed the water, removed leaves below the waterline and yet your flowers still look thirsty. According to Lucy Hook, flower expert at Bloom & Wild, the culprit could be hidden at the base of the stem. When flowers travel, 'the stem ends dry out and form a hard seal that acts like a bottle cap preventing them from drinking'. The fix is simple: 'Trim 3 to 5cm off your stems at a 45-degree angle' before arranging and every few days thereafter. By removing the seal, flowers can take up water more freely, helping them to stay hydrated and healthy for longer.
Give flowers a fresh start
If your bouquet is looking tired, don't give up on it just yet. Lucy Hook recommends giving flowers 'a fresh start' by thoroughly cleaning the vase and refilling it with fresh, lukewarm water. Before placing stems back in the vase, remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline. 'Submerged leaves will quickly deteriorate, muck up your water, and create a perfect breeding ground for nasty bacteria,' she says. Keeping the water clean helps prevent stems from becoming blocked, allowing flowers to stay fresher for longer.
The silent killer
We all have one, and it may seem harmless, but your fruit bowl could be the surprising culprit behind drooping blooms. Lucy warns that ripening fruit releases 'hidden gases that cause flowers to bloom and fade much faster than they normally would, dehydrating your display rapidly'. If you display flowers on the kitchen worktop, try moving them away from fruit bowls and into a cooler spot instead.
Get the temperature right
Flowers are surprisingly fussy about temperature. The floral team at M&S advise keeping blooms away from heat, direct sunlight and draughts. When it comes to water, Lucy recommends using lukewarm rather than cold water, explaining that it encourages blooms to open after their journey. For the longest-lasting display, keep flowers in a cool room with a stable temperature and away from direct heat sources.
