How to make freshly cut flowers last longer

A bouquet of garden flowers will light up any room, but some care is required to keep them from wilting all to soon. — JustChrys.com/dpa

Many types of flowers are available from florists all year round, but nothing beats a freshly cut bouquet of flowers picked from your own garden.

Keeping them from dying prematurely can be tricky, though, so here are some tips on how to make fresh flowers last longer indoors.

Cut at the right time

Cut your bouquet in the early morning hours. Choose flowers with healthy stems that are saturated with water, says Germany's Saxon Garden Academy.

Look for flowers that have blossomed and are mature. If they are picked too early, garden flowers will wither quickly or the buds may not open at all.

Prune leaves below the waterline

Remove the leaves from the lower part of the stem. Otherwise, bacteria could get into the water and cause the flowers to rot faster, according to the Just Chrysanthemum campaign, an initiative of around 150 Dutch chrysanthemum growers and breeders.

Cut off part of the stems

Use a clean knife to cut the stems at an angle, which will allow them to better absorb the water in the vase. Put the flowers in water as soon as you cut them to prevent air from getting into the stems.

Nurture your flowers

Replace the water as soon as the colour changes. This is best done after five days at the latest, according to the chrysanthemum growers. Lukewarm tap water that is not too chalky is particularly suitable.

The experts also recommend to add a packet of flower food – sold by florists or supermarkets – to the water. Home remedies like sugar are not helpful as sugar tends to accelerate the growth of bacteria, causing your flowers to wilt faster.

Choose the right location

Cut flowers wither faster if the vase is exposed to direct sunlight, draughts or high temperatures. Make sure to keep the bouquet away from fruit as many fruits release a ripening gas called ethylene that causes flowers to age faster.

Withering flowers also emit ethylene. So remove any wilting flowers from the arrangement to prevent a chain reaction. – dpa