Skip to Main Content

Making Cut Flowers Last Longer

St. Valentine's Day is the time many of us are given cut flowers as gifts. How can you make these beautiful gifts last longer? Here are tips for preserving your cut flowers:

  • Use a thoroughly cleaned vase or container.
  • re-cut stems back about an inch at a 45 degree angle. Cutting at an angle exposes more stem surface so that the flower can more readily absorb water.
  • Remove any leaves from the stems which would be immersed in the container water. If not removed, these leaves will deteriorate and shorten the life of the cut flowers.
  • Remove any dead flowers. Dead flowers will contaminate the water, causing other stems to die prematurely.
  • Change the water in the container every other day and re-cut the stems again.
  • Use a commercial cut flower preservative in the container water. These preservatives provide nutrients to the flower, thereby preserving the flowers longer.
  • Keep flowers out of direct sunlight and in a cool area. Direct sunlight or excessive heat will dehydrate the blooms and shorten the bloom life.

Featured Stories

From the Director
March Announcements

Read More
Purdue Extension.
Marshall County Fair Open Class, Bake-a-Rama, Ice Cream Crank Off

Read More
Spring
April-May-June Extension Express

The newsletter this month includes library programs in HHS as Physical Activity Across the...

Read More
Row of Callery Pear trees
Join in the Fight Against Invasive Plants

Do you know what an invasive species is? It is a plant or organism that is not native to our...

Read More
hiring
We are Hiring-Summer 4-H Assistant

Read More
Capital Comments
A Simple View of the Economy Helps Us Understand GrowthTax Bills Rise in 2024?

People use tools to make goods and services, which other people buy. Gross domestic product is...

Read More
To Top