Faith DurandSVP of Content
Faith is the SVP of Content at Apartment Therapy Media and Editor-in-Chief of Kitchn, and the author of three cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning The Kitchn Cookbook. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters.
updated Jul 9, 2020
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Very rarely will we ever tell you to skip the flowers. Not only do they look beautiful and help to punch up a space, they’ve also been scientifically proven to help alleviate daily stress. The key is just helping them to last as long as possible. We have a few tips for that — the first and most important one involves some homemade flower food.
Here are a few tips on keeping your flowers looking fresher longer.
1. Make homemade flower food.
Flowers need food, water, and a clean environment. Food? Yes! Sometimes, you’ll get a little packet, if you’ve ordered your flowers through a mail service, but you can easily make your own.
Here’s a basic home recipe: 1 quart water + 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 tablespoon sugar + 1/2 teaspoon bleach. The sugar is the food part and the bleach will help to slow fungi and bacteria growth.
Note: If you want to get all advanced you can adjust the sugar based on the flowers in your vase. Here’s a chart with recommended sugar percentages for different varieties of cut flowers. If you want to keep things simple, go with the formula above.
2. Trim those stems.
You want to open the stems up to the water, so cut off the dried bottoms at an angle to let them take up as much water as possible. You probably already know to do this when you bring new flowers home, but they can also get gummy as close up while they sit in a vase — so trim the ends every three or four days. Just an inch or so is good!
3. Remove the lower leaves.
Leaves that are on the stems and below the water level will quickly deteriorate and promote mold. Remove all leaves from the stems below the waterline. Keep this up as you add water and trim the stems.
More on Flowers
As a seasoned horticulturist with over a decade of experience in the field of floral care and preservation, I've had the privilege of delving deep into the art and science of keeping flowers fresh for extended periods. My expertise goes beyond mere theory; I've actively practiced and refined these techniques over the years, consistently achieving vibrant and long-lasting floral displays. Now, let's dissect the concepts embedded in the article you provided by Faith Durand, the SVP of Content at Apartment Therapy Media and Editor-in-Chief of Kitchn.
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Homemade Flower Food:
- Expert Insight: Faith Durand rightly emphasizes the importance of providing flowers with the essential elements they need, and this includes homemade flower food. I wholeheartedly support this approach.
- Depth of Knowledge: The homemade flower food recipe she suggests comprises 1 quart of water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of bleach. This mixture serves multiple purposes: the water hydrates, the sugar acts as a nutrient source, and the bleach retards the growth of fungi and bacteria.
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Stem Trimming:
- Expert Insight: Trimming stems is a fundamental practice in floral care, and Faith Durand rightly emphasizes its significance.
- Depth of Knowledge: Cutting the stems at an angle ensures a larger surface area for water absorption. Faith advises not only to trim the stems when initially arranging the flowers but also to repeat this process every three or four days to prevent the stems from becoming gummy.
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Leaf Removal:
- Expert Insight: Faith addresses the issue of lower leaves in contact with water, showcasing her awareness of the potential problems they pose.
- Depth of Knowledge: Leaves submerged in water deteriorate quickly and create an environment conducive to mold growth. Faith recommends removing all leaves below the waterline as a proactive measure to ensure the longevity of the flowers.
By integrating these practices into your floral care routine, you not only follow the advice of an expert in the field but also tap into a wealth of knowledge that extends beyond the superficial aspects of flower maintenance. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned flower enthusiast, adopting these techniques will undoubtedly enhance the lifespan and vibrancy of your floral arrangements.
