Cut flowers in a vase bloom longer with just 5 simple steps

A single flower can express joy, a bouquet of flowers can express love.

But flowers do not bloom forever; a gust of wind, a spell of rain, will bring a shower of falling petals. The sentimental ancients wrote no shortage of poems lamenting fallen flowers.

But there were also positive and upbeat ancients who could not bear to sit and wait for fresh flowers to wither, and instead tried every means to extend the lifespan of fresh flowers.

In the Qing Dynasty, Kuang Fan wrote in the *Bianmin Tuzuan*: "If peonies and Chinese peonies are placed in a vase, first burn the cut end of the stem, seal it with melted wax, and soak in water; they will not wilt for several days."

Chen Haozi, in his horticultural treatise *Hua Jing*, also recorded preservation methods for different flowers: "For example, narcissus is best kept in salt water." And plum blossoms, "if stored in an antique vase and frequently scalded with hot water, can still set seed and grow leaves."

The ancients racked their brains, wanting only to make fresh, dewy flowers stop the wheel of time in their rooms.

So how exactly can flowers, once separated from the branch and turned into vase flowers, still stay fresh and keep blooming? Modern people have developed a fairly systematic method. Read on:

Step 1: Choosing flowers - choose flowers with a fresh air about them

If you want flowers to keep blooming after they reach your hands, you need to observe carefully when buying: if the water is cloudy and the stems and leaves are yellowing with slime, it means the flower is no longer fresh enough, so give it up decisively. Choose flowers whose stems, leaves and water are all relatively clean, then observe the growth and condition of the fresh flowers. Truly fresh flowers always give off a fresh air, are vigorous and lively, with plump, pleasing petals.

Step 2: Cutting - cut the incision into a 45-degree slant

Once the beautiful fresh flowers are in your hands, trim and prune them as soon as possible.

Pruning is also a technical job:When cutting the flower stem, the incision is best cut into a 45-degree slant, to prevent bacteria at the flower base from harming the fresh flowers. It can also enlarge the water-absorbing area and keep the flower's water-absorbing channels smooth, so the fresh flowers can last longer.

But some woody flower materials, such as lacecap hydrangea and wintersweet, are not satisfied with just a "45-degree upward gaze." You can split the cut end of the stem lengthwise with a few cuts and wedge a small stone in the middle, or smash the last 3-4cm with a hammer, to maximise the water-absorbing area.

Tips1:If it is a flower that does not secrete milky sap, you can cut it underwater, to avoid more air entering the stem end through the incision and blocking the stem from taking in the water it needs.

Tips2:Do not cut carnations at the nodes; for chrysanthemums, it is best to snap the stem by hand instead of using scissors.

Step 3: Disinfection - fragile flowers fear infection

Just as people with wounds are prone to infection, so are flowers; the incision needs to be disinfected. Common methods include scalding with hot water, burning with fire, coating with salt, soaking in vinegar, and applying acid or alkali, to ensure the end of the flower stem immersed in water is not easily infected.

Burning method:Apply a little alcohol to the incision and hold it in a flame to burn; when the incision is nearly charred, insert it into the vase. But this method is only suitable for woody plants or plants with hard, thick stems, such as lilac, plum blossom, Chinese peony and chrysanthemum.

Stem-scalding method:Put the last 2-3cm of the flower stem into boiling water and scald for about 2 minutes, then immediately immerse it in cold water, then insert it into the vase. This method is suitable for fresh flowers with softer stems, such as tulips and peonies.

Step 4: Water culture - use only one kind of "nutrient"

With everything ready, it is time to keep the flowers: the water for arranging flowers is best well water or river water; tap water should be left to stand for a day before use. Florists use cut-flower preservatives. If you do not have any at home, you can add a small amount of salt, sugar, aspirin, etc. to the water, to supplement the nutrients the flowers need and inhibit bacteria... But remember, use only one of these.

No matter what you add, change the water in the vase about once every 2 days, and clean up the leaves and stems at the same time.

Sugar-water method:Add about 2%-3% white sugar to the water to provide a carbon source and extend the life of the flowers. But note that when adding white sugar, you must add substances that inhibit bacteria, such as white vinegar, to avoid a large build-up of bacteria caused by adding white sugar.

Alcohol method:Add a little beer to the water and the flowering period can be extended by more than ten days, but use less for very delicate flowers. Experiments have shown that pouring 50 ml of beer into each pot of clivia can not only promote flower stalk emergence, but also make the emerging flower stalks both taller and thicker, with larger and more vivid blooms.

Tips：Please completely remove the flowers and leaves that are immersed in water, because rotting leaves will foul the water quality, hinder the efficiency of the flower stem's water absorption, and also cause the nutrients in the water to be consumed for nothing.

Step 5: Placement - keep away from ripe fruits and vegetables

Now you have a pot of flowers of infinitely high class, healthy and beautiful, but where to place them truly determines the life or death of this bouquet of fresh flowers over the coming week.

Please keep away from direct sunlight and away from heating, otherwise it will accelerate the respiration of the flower stems and the evaporation of water, easily causing the flowers to wilt.Please keep away from ripe fruits and vegetables, because ripe fruits and vegetables release a large amount of ethylene, causing the flowers to decline.

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A few must-see bonus tips

★ If the flowers in your home have unfortunately already wilted from water loss all over, do not panic; there is still a first-aid method: when the flower stems begin to wilt, cut off the last 3-6cm of the stems, then place them in a container filled with cold water, with only the flower heads exposed; in about 1-2 hours they will recover. This method is especially suitable for roses.

★ Adding a trace amount of urea or soil extract (the liquid obtained by adding fertile mud to water, stirring and then filtering) to the clear water for keeping chrysanthemums can extend their life by more than ten days compared with ordinary clear water.

★ Wrapping white magnolia flowers in a damp cloth at night and uncovering them during the day can delay the fading time of the flowers by 2-3 days.