April 17, 2022
How to make cut flowers last (the things we tell customers at the counter)
A bouquet that lasts ten days vs three days is rarely about the flowers. It's about the water, the temperature, and the trim. Five things we tell customers at the counter, in plain words.
Five things, in order of importance
1. Trim the stems on a 45° angle. A scissor or a sharp knife. Re-cut every second day. The stem seals over after a few hours of being in water, and a fresh cut means it can drink again.
2. Cold water, not warm. Common myth — warm water doesn't "open the bloom faster" in any meaningful way. Cold water is what the stem is built for. Change it every two days.
3. Strip leaves below the waterline. Leaves rotting in water grow bacteria; bacteria clog the stems; the bouquet wilts. Pull off any leaf that would otherwise sit in the water.
4. Keep the bouquet away from fruit. Fruit gives off ethylene gas which makes flowers age faster. The bowl of bananas on the counter is the silent killer of your hydrangeas.
5. Don't leave the bouquet in direct AC airflow. GCC air conditioning is unforgiving. The bouquet on the dining table dries out in 36 hours under a vent. Move it to a corner that gets indirect light, no draught.
What we use
Flower food. Every wholesaler we buy from sells a sachet for a few dirhams. It contains sugar (food for the bloom), citric acid (lowers pH so bacteria slow down), and a mild biocide. Use it. The supermarket version works too.
Most of our customers who follow these five things tell us their flowers last 10–14 days. Some get more. The hydrangea is the diva of the lineup; respect that.