Written by Amity Moore Joyce
Whether you bought a floral centerpiece for yourself or received a flower arrangement as a gift, you surely want to prolong its beauty as long as possible. Middlemist shares five ways to keep your blooms fresh:
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Keep the arrangement watered. Don’t simply top it off daily; toss the old water, especially if it’s cloudy, and add new. Be sure the water level accommodates all the stems.
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Cut the stems. You don’t need to whack long lengths daily, but every few days, trim the stems at a 45-degree angle. Doing so under water maximizes their ability to hydrate. You may have to remove each flower from the arrangement, and that’s okay. If you pick up and trim one at a time, then you will know where to replace it to maintain the original design.
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Remove foliage or dead/dying blossoms as necessary. Any extra green below the water line is adding bacteria to the stems and potentially clogging them, so they cannot drink that fresh water you’ve been adding. Local Golden florist Middlemist removes excess leaves as part of the design process, but as you shorten the stems through trimming, you may need to remove any extra green that dips into the water.
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Keep the arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from direct heat sources. Flowers stay fresh longer in a cooler environment. The exception to this tip is tropical flowers, which prefer humidity and warmth.
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Feed your flowers. The goal here is nourishment, but also cleanliness and an adequate pH level in the water. The right combination of ingredients, including sugar, acid, and antibacterial and antifungal agents, helps preserve a bouquet’s beauty. Middlemist bouquets include a powder flower food packet. After you’ve cut the stems and put water in a clean vase, add the flower food packet to the water and stir. This will help your flowers last longer.
