How to Make Valentine’s Day Flowers Last Longer

As many of us will be receiving Valentine’s Day flowers, we thought it would be helpful to provide some tips on how to make them last longer. If you follow the advice of floral designer Rebecca Cole for Howdini.com, you can make your flowers last up to a week longer than if you just passively put them in water.

Cole suggests the following:

1. Get them into a clean vase with fresh, cool water ASAP.
2. If the flowers come with some sort of freshener packet, use only 1/2 of it at first and save the other 1/2 for a couple of days later when you change the water.
3. Remove any leaves from the stem that would be submerged under water.
4. Give the flowers a fresh, clean cut on a big angle so the water can “drink into the stem.” (If you received the flowers in a box and there’s a little plug holding water at the bottom, make sure to cut above this.)
5. You can also scrape the thorns off the stem.
6. After 2-3 days, repeat the steps above: use the other 1/2 of the flower freshener, make another fresh cut and put them in fresh water.
7. Two other important tips: Keep them in a cool, dry space, out of any direct sunlight and don’t put them near a heater.

Watch the video below: