There is something about displaying flowers in a room which is extremely exotic. Flowers are natural therapists in the sense that they not only soothe your senses from the perspective of adding color to the room but also appease your sense of smell almost edging aroma therapy. The reason why flowers were gifted was because they had an aesthetic value which affects your sense of vision and smell.
Be it flowers gifted by your loved ones or a formal bouquet it comes to us to keep them fresh for as long as possible. Flowers unfortunately have a small shelf life (as they are separated from their source). However there are a few techniques which you can use to keep your flowers fresh longer. These techniques are applicable to all kinds of flowers and are not restricted to any specific kind.
Tip 1: Cut the stems at an angle
It is a common tendency among people to cut the stems flat before placing them in a vase. What this ends up doing is preventing the stems from absorbing the water as they go on to stick to the bottom of the vase. The surface area in contact with water would be low due to which the water absorption capacity of the stem is reduced. It is best to cut the stems at steep angle so that the tips are pointed. When you cut the stem at a steep angle the surface which absorbs the water readily increases and it does not sit flat at the bottom of the vase.
Tip 2: Keep the flower in warm water
It is a well known fact among florists that warm water is best to dip the flowers in. The absorption rate of the stem increases when it is dipped in warm water as compared to cold water. You would have noticed yourself that whenever you dip the flowers in cold water they tend to droop faster. You must ensure though that the water is not hot. The flowers would end up shocked if placed in hot water and I meant it literally. Warm water is defined as water which is not cold, but not hot either. Dip your fingers in the water first to ensure that it is mildly warm before placing the flowers in them.
Tip 3: Remove all the leaves
Before you dip the flowers in water it is important to remove all the leaves sticking onto the stem. This way the leaves won抰 end up submerged in the water and would attract less bacteria resulting in a lower decay rate. The debris like thorns and leaves are known to decay with time when submerged in water that in turn lead to the defecting of the water in which the flowers are placed.
Tip 4: Place as much stem as possible in water
Try to submerge most of the stem into the water. You can accomplish this by ensuring that the vase in which you place the flowers is almost completely filled with water. When this happens the stem would be able to absorb water from most of its surface area. As you would be well aware, stem has the tendency to absorb water not only from its tips but also from the rest of its surface. The rate of absorption is obviously higher at the base since it has an exposed surface area but the rest of the surface also plays a role in water absorption.