Fresh Cut Flowers for Delivery or Pickup

When properly cared for, fresh-cut flowers can last between 1 week and 12 days. Some of the important care tips include trimming the stems before placing the flowers in water, pruning any extra leaves that fall below the waterline, and placing the flowers in a vase that provides room to spread out and prevents overcrowding.

The placement of the flowers can also impact how long they last. Flowers placed beneath a heating vent probably won't last as long because of the constant exposure to hot air, which can dry them out and cause them to die. Avoid placing the flowers near appliances that generate a lot of heat, such as the stove or computer. Excess air blowing on flowers can also dry them out, even if the air isn't hot, so steer clear of placing them beneath ceiling fans as well.

When you purchase a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers, start by trimming the base of each flower's stem before placing the flowers into a vase of water. Flowers draw up nutrients and water through their stems, so the air drawn into the stems when the flowers were out of the water can block absorption. Trim at least a half-inch from the bottom of each stem.

After trimming the stems, place the flowers in water immediately. Ensure the water is room temperature unless the flowers come from bulbs that bloom during cooler months, such as Tulips, Daffodils, and Anemones. Warm water helps the blooms open sooner but causes them to die faster. Wash out the vase and refill it every few days. A homemade mix of a few drops of vodka, gin, or bleach with clear soda and a crushed vitamin C tablet can also keep flowers fresh.

If you want to regrow fresh-cut flowers, you'll need to act quickly and root the plants as soon as you get them. Simply placing cut flowers in your garden won't result in new floral growth, but the process of rooting may work. Some cut flowers that can grow roots are Roses, Azaleas, Hydrangeas, Honeysuckle, and Lilac.

Start by trimming a fresh piece of the flower stem that measures between 2-6in in length and includes 2-3 leaf node sets. Cut the bottom of the stem just below the lowest set of leaf nodes and trim at a 45-degree angle. Dip the end in a rooting hormone and place it into a pot filled with soil-free moist potting mix. Cover the stem with a plastic bag and make sure the soil stays moist. You can transplant the small plant when the roots grow.

Many fresh-cut flower bouquets come with a packet of floral preservatives, which you can add to the water in the vase. A floral preservative is typically made up of three main components: sugar, acid, and compounds. The sugar helps provide nutritional benefits to the flowers, while the acid lowers the water's pH. When the water doesn't have the right alkaline balance, minerals can build up and block the flow of nutrients through the flower stems.

Compounds, the final ingredient in floral preservative, help prevent the stems from closing up. These additives help ensure that the flowers can continue to absorb the nutrients and water from the vase. If your flowers didn't come with a preservative packet, you can make your own by combining a few drops of bleach, vodka, gin, or another clear alcoholic liquid with clear soda and a crushed tablet of vitamin C.