If you want your flowers to last, cleanliness really does matter and it’s important that you place them in a sterilised vase. Before putting them in, disinfect your vase to kill off any bacteria, which may be harmful to your flowers.

If you want your flowers to stay fresh for longer, you need to make sure you place them in a vase of water and that you keep this topped up. Remember, the more flowers in your arrangement the more water they’ll need and some flowers drink more than others.

If you want to keep your flowers looking fresh for longer, fill your vase with cold water and pop in a couple of ice cubes. On the other hand, if you want your flowers to bloom faster, use hot (not boiling) water in the vase.

To ensure that your flowers are able to soak up as much water as possible, it’s important to cut the end of the stems each day. Use a pair of sharp scissors and cut off the bottom inch of the stems at an angle as this increases the surface area.

Don’t throw away the packet of flower food, which came supplied. Flower food can help to nourish your flowers and make them last longer, with most packets containing a mix of sugar (nutrients), an acidifier (to maintain the water’s pH level) and bleach (to kill bacteria).

If you do happen to run out of the supplied flower food, why not make your own? By mixing together water, sugar, lemon juice and household bleach, you can keep your flowers fresh for longer.

Hardening your flowers can help to speed up the water intake through the stems due to the kinetic energy found in warm water. After cutting the stems at an angle, place the flowers in water, which is at 43.5 C.

Hairspray comes in useful for so much more than holding your hairstyle in place. Spraying your flowers with hairspray can help to keep them in pristine condition and prevent wilting.

Household appliances like televisions and computers give off heat, which can lead to your flowers becoming dehydrated, droopy and wilted. Be sure to place your flowers away from appliances in a cool spot.

You’ll often hear people telling you to drop a 10 cent coin in the water or even to use vodka or Panadol to keep your flowers looking fresh. Stick to the above tips and stay away from these myths, which won’t help your blooms in any way.

READ MORE:
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Text: Steph Yin, Straits Times / Additional Reporting: Natalya Molok