Key steps for maintaining the freshness of flowers include trimming the stems and choosing the right plant food, but some important aspects are often overlooked.
To keep blooms beautiful for longer, it's crucial to be mindful of where you place your vase, according to gardening experts.
Julian de Bosdari, CEO of Ashridge, a UK plant nursery, shares essential advice for extending the life of your flowers. He stresses that certain fruits, like bananas and apples, can hasten the aging process of flowers due to the ethylene gas they emit.
“Make sure to keep flowers away from the fruit bowl, as ripening fruit such as bananas and apples produce an odourless gas called ethylene, which causes flowers to age and drop petals more quickly,” Bosdari explains.
This gas can be particularly damaging to more delicate flowers, causing them to bloom prematurely or lose their leaves.
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Another tip for keeping flowers fresh is ensuring the vase water is clean and that stems are cut at an angle, which promotes water absorption and reduces wilting.
Cutting stems at an angle prevents them from drying out, which can lead to bacterial growth and hinder water uptake. Even though cut flower bouquets usually have their stems pre-trimmed, they may close up by the time you bring them home.
“The very first thing you should do with your bouquet is make sure you have a clean vase to place them in,” Bosdari advises, noting that vases with narrow openings can trap bacteria, speeding up the aging process of flowers.
An angled cut on the stem ensures it remains submerged, allowing for better water absorption.
