How to Keep a Flower Bouquet Fresh

Co-authored by Denise Porcaro Tupper and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: April 22, 2022 References

Flowers are great for brightening up your space, but wilted, drooping stems can have the opposite effect. Most fresh flower arrangements last around 5 days once you bring them home, but you can enjoy the bouquet for at least a week if you care for your flowers properly. Protecting the blooms from heat, light, and bacteria can keep your arrangement perky for longer!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Getting the Bouquet Into Water

1
Buy a bouquet that has long-lasting flower varieties. Unfortunately, some flowers just don't last long once you cut them and put them in a vase because their petals are thinner or more delicate. Avoid bouquets that have irises, tulips, daffodils, or hyacinths. Instead, choose arrangements that have hardier flowers like:^{[1]
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- Roses
- Lilies
- Freesia
- Daisies
- Sunflowers
- Carnations
- Chrysanthemums
Tip: When you're buying the bouquet, look for flowers that are perky and don't have droopy leaves or stems. If you find bouquets that have unopened buds, more flowers will open gradually when you bring them home.
2
Hold stems under the tap and cut at an angle 1 in (2.5 cm) from the ends. Remove the packaging from the bouquet and turn on the tap. Hold the stems under lukewarm running water and use sharp pruners or scissors to cut the ends of the stems at an angle. Trim at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the bottom off of the stem so it can begin to draw up water.^{[2]
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University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Extension program of the University of California system devoted to educating and improving local communities
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- In most cases, you'll have to really cut down the stems so the bouquet fits into your vase. Hold up a stem next to your vase so you know how much to cut from the stem.
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3
Trim the leaves from the stems to prevent them from falling into the water. Once you've cut the flower stems to size, snip off almost all of the leaves from the stems.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Denise Porcaro Tupper
Floral Design Expert
Expert Interview. 5 April 2022.} It's fine to leave a couple that are directly below the flower itself, but leaves on the lower stem can easily fall into the water and cause bacteria to grow.^{[4]
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- If bacteria starts to grow in the water, it causes the ends of the stems to close up so they don't draw up water.
4
Wash a vase with soapy water and rinse it with water. You might have several vases on the shelf that are covered with dust. Instead of just wiping them off, take a minute to wash the inside and outside with hot soapy water. Then, rinse the entire vase to remove the suds.^{[5]
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- Washing the vase thoroughly removes bacteria that could make your flowers wilt faster.
- Although you can use any style of vase for your flowers, choose one that has an opening that's wide enough to easily fit all of the stems. If you crowd or shove the stems into a narrow vase, you could damage them.
5
Fill the vase with lukewarm water and stir in the flower food. Pour in enough lukewarm water to fill your vase 1/2 to 3/4 full. Then, open the powdered food packet that came with the bouquet and add it to the water. Stir the water until the powder is dissolved.^{[6]
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- If your bouquet has flowers that grew from bulbs, like tulips or hyacinths, use cold water instead.
- The flower food contains chemicals that kill bacteria, an acid that helps the stem suck up water, and sugar that feeds the flowers.
- Adding a drop of bleach to the water can help kill bacteria so your flowers last longer.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Jeanne Walker
  Florist
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2020.}
Tip: It's easy to make your own batch of flower food with things you already have on hand. Pour 1 US quart (0.95 L) of lukewarm water into a pitcher and stir in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (12 g) of sugar, and ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of bleach.
6
Place the bouquet into the vase so the stem ends are submerged. Transfer your trimmed flowers to the vase with the flower food solution.^{[8]
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Research source} Look inside the vase to ensure that the bottom of the stems are completely in the water or they may dry out and your flowers will wilt.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Denise Porcaro Tupper
Floral Design Expert
Expert Interview. 5 April 2022.}
- If you left a few leaves on the stems and they fall into the water, take them out immediately so they don't disintegrate in the water and introduce bacteria.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Caring for the Bouquet

1
Place the vase of flowers out of direct sunlight. It might be tempting to set your beautiful flowers in front of a sunny window, but the direct sunlight can fade the petals or cause the flowers to droop.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Jeanne Walker
Florist
Expert Interview. 15 April 2020.}
- If you do want to place the bouquet in a window, pull a curtain across it during the brightest part of the day so your flowers get a little protection.
2
Set the bouquet in a cool spot so the flowers last longer. Flowers do best if they're displayed in a room that's between 65 and 72 °F (18 and 22 °C). Don't put the vase on top of a warm appliance or near a heater, since these can dry out the petals.^{[11]
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- Move strong fans away from the bouquet so they don't blow directly on the flowers. Strong wind or fans can blow the petals off.
3
Refrigerate your bouquet overnight so it stays fresh. If you really want to put the flowers in a warm or sunny spot during the day, move them to a cool space, such as the refrigerator, in the evening and overnight. Then, put them back in the warmer space in the morning.^{[12]
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- You may need to adjust the shelves in your fridge so you can fit the vase without bending the flowers.
4
Avoid displaying the bouquet near fresh produce. Your bouquet might look beautiful on the counter next to your fruit bowl, but the produce can make your flowers wilt faster. Fresh fruits and vegetables release ethylene, a gas that causes the buds to fall off and the petals to wilt.^{[13]
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5
Replace the water every day. Pour out the old water in the vase once a day.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Jeanne Walker
Florist
Expert Interview. 15 April 2020.} Then, clean out your vase and fill it with fresh water and flower food before you put the bouquet back in.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Denise Porcaro Tupper
Floral Design Expert
Expert Interview. 5 April 2022.} Now's a good time to remove any wilted or dying flowers.^{[16]
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- Cloudy, yellow water and bad smells are a sign that bacteria is growing in the water.
6
Trim ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) from the stems every 3 days. Over time, the stem ends will begin to close up and they won't draw up water very well.^{[17]
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Research source} To help your bouquet stay fresh looking, take the flowers out and trim the stems under running water every few days.^{[18]
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Expert Source

Denise Porcaro Tupper
Floral Design Expert
Expert Interview. 5 April 2022.}

Did You Know? Air can also get trapped in the stems, which causes the flower to wilt prematurely. Sometimes, just trimming the stems can fix this so your flower perks up.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I preserve a bouquet of flowers?

Jeanne Walker
Florist
Jeanne Walker is a Florist and the Owner of Fringe Flower Company, a floral design shop that specializes in weddings, special events, and daily deliveries. Fringe Flower Company, based in Walnut Creek, California, provides customized hand-tied and vase bouquets along with potted plants, succulent gardens, tulip french buckets, and wreaths. Jeanne also conducts floral design workshops and parties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jeanne Walker

Florist

Expert Answer

My personal favorite way is simply to hang the bouquet upside down. It keeps everything upright and if you do it right after the event, it's still really fresh. The air will slowly evaporate from the petals, and the bouquet will dry out and hold its color for a while.
Question

How do you make a bouquet last longer?

Denise Porcaro Tupper
Floral Design Expert
Denise Porcaro Tupper is a Floral Design Expert, as well as the Founder & Owner of Flower Girl NYC. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she specializes in curating lush, whimsical bouquets, large dramatic installations, and everything in between. Denise has worked with notable clientele including Vogue, Chanel, Proenza Schouler, and Marc Jacobs, and has also had numerous collaborations with companies such as Liberty of London, Gap, and Coach.

Denise Porcaro Tupper

Floral Design Expert

Expert Answer

The theory that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch also usually applies for arrangements. If one of your flowers starts dying before the rest, remove it to avoid spreading bacterias and to make the whole bouquet last longer.