Ask Pilgrim's: HOW DO I MAKE FLOWERS LAST?

Erika, Gift & Floral

Most of the flowers sold in our store are grown in Ecuador and Colombia with others grown closer to home in British Columbia, California, and Washington. There’s nothing like having a fresh bouquet of flowers in your home to brighten up the space and your mood. If you’re wanting to enjoy the scent of fresh cut flowers, buy Lillies, Peonies, Lavender and of course, Roses. Look for “garden rose” varieties specifically bred for scent as most have had their fragrance bred out to improve their shelf life.

Follow these tips to keep your flowers fresh for weeks:

ALWAYS use a clean vase with clean water and flower food. Most bunches of flowers come with a packet of flower food. Follow the directions on the pack when adding to clean water.

REMOVE all leaves that will be below the water line in the vase. Leaves will decay in the water and shorten the life of your flowers.

CUT stems about an inch from the end and place in water within a few seconds. Once a stem is cut it will take in a “breath”. It is important the stem be placed in water so there is no air taken in.

KEEP the flowers in a cool, shaded spot away from sunlight and away from ripening fruit as the ethylene will also shorten the life of your flowers. Remove any dying flowers from the bunch since these will hasten the decay of others.

CHANGE the water, rinse the vase, add flower food and give a fresh cut to the stems every 4-7 days and your flowers will last for weeks. For the longest lasting flowers buy Carnations, Cremones/Spiders (Mum varieties), Poms (Daisy varieties), Lillies, Hydrangeas, Roses, Gerbera Daisies, Alstroemerias, Sunflowers!