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Tips and Ideas for Making Cut Flowers Last

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Tips and Ideas for Making Cut Flowers Last

Today I’m sharing how I get weeks of life out of my floral arrangements, with tips on how to make your blooms last longer, how to properly re-cut your stems, and how to restyle an arrangement. Perfect for those times when some of the flowers start to fade and die off, but many are still fresh and viable. I never have the heart to toss the good ones, and this is how I continue to enjoy them! 

(how to get weeks of enjoyment!)

Cut Flowers - tips and ideas on how to make floral arrangements last

Last year I shared a post about how to make your cut flowers and floral arrangements last. It’s something I’ve done for years, so when my Mother’s Day flowers started to fade, I did my thing and continued enjoying them.

When certain blooms started to die, I tore it apart and restyled it. I shared this with you, but it was in real time and really too late to really be of much use. Not so this year.

I’m re-sharing it now so it can be useful.

Hey, it takes me a bit sometimes, but I eventually catch on… lol.

I hope you find a tip or two you may not have known, one you forgot about.. or, that you try the restyling trick!

I love getting fresh flowers and chances are, you do too!
If you got flowers for Mother’s Day, about a week from now your flowers will be looking a little bit sad.
Now, if you are anything like me, you want to enjoy them for as long as possible!
So if you’re interested, I’ll share how I easily turned my week old floral arrangement (pictured fresh)

INTO THIS:

Let’s Get Started!

I got together:

  • a white creamer pitcher

  • a hobnail milk glass

  • a pink glass vase

  • a thrift store vase

  • and a .10 cent jelly jar

1. Take your arrangement apart and salvage any blooms that are still viable.
I’m sorry I did not take a photo of my flowers at the half-way point, but I deleted my tulips and button mums.
 
2. Next, you’ll start giving your stems fresh cuts.
Depending on the flower, you may need to remove and inch, up to a few inches of the stem.
(see the photo below for what a healthy exposed end should look like.)
3. Get ready to give your flowers a second life.
Arrange as desired in whatever you have handy.
 
4. Here is what I did with some of my pink Mini Carnations, if you like mine.
Easy as:
  1.  Select container
  2. Fill it with greenery as a base (also freshly trimmed)
  3.  Add in pink Mini Carnations
 
When I was done getting my flowers in their new homes I popped them on my iron tray and have enjoyed them every day since! It was wonderful laying them all out and playing with them too. I really enjoyed it!

More Helpful Tips:

  • Use the floral preservative to make your blooms last longer. (the little plastic pack of powder that often accompanies cut and arranged flowers)

No floral preservative? Do This:

  •  You can add a penny or two and splash of table sugar to your arrangement.
  •  Add a cap full of bleach to the water.
  •  For approx. every quart of water, add 2 tsp. sugar and 2 tsp. vinegar.
  • Note: Amounts suggested are for an average full sized arrangement.
Freshly cutting the stems and adding fresh water (amended) will also keep your original arrangement looking it’s best, as well as prolonging the life of any secondary floral displays.

So again, I went from this…

To this…

With little effort, and no money spent. Making my flowers last so much longer. (about 3 & a 1/2 weeks!)
I hope this was a helpful post and you can now get the very most out of your floral arrangements.
Have a beautiful day!
xo Shannon
Cut Flowers - tips and ideas on how to make floral arrangements last
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Comments

  3. Chelle Chapman says

    What a great idea! I usually just clean, trim & restyle in the same vase but this is so much prettier!! I would LOVE to have flowers in different rooms!! Thank you so much for sharing this awesome idea!!!!

Tips and Ideas for Making Cut Flowers Last

Tips and Ideas for Making Cut Flowers Last! How to get the most life out of floral arrangements and how to even restyle them, as select blooms fade.
 
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