From Leftover Christmas Alcohol to Copper Pennies: The Secret to Long-Lasting Bouquets

Approximately 4 million bouquets and 250 million flower stems are sold worldwide for Valentine's Day. Roses make up a third of these, another third consists of tulips, and the remaining third includes various other flowers.

After receiving a bouquet, you'll want to keep it looking fresh for as long as possible. To help, the plant and flower experts at Beards & Daisies have shared their top tips for extending the life of your blooms, including using household items as food, dropping a copper penny into the vase and a trick of using leftover Christmas alcohol.

How to Keep Your Valentine’s Day Bouquet Fresh for Longer, Experts Hacks and Tips

Fresh water and a clean vase - Before arranging your flowers, ensure the vase is cleaned to prevent bacterial growth, which can cause premature wilting. Replace the water in the vase every two to three days, ensuring it's clean and at room temperature. This prevents bacterial buildup and provides fresh nutrients to your flowers.

Trim stems at a 45-degree angle - Cutting the stems at a 45-degree angle increases the surface area for water absorption, helping the flowers stay hydrated. Trim the stems every few days to keep the water absorption at its best.

Always feed your flowers - A small packet of flower food typically comes with your bouquet. Adding it to the water keeps your flowers fresh for longer and ensures the water stays clean. Didn’t get any flower food? You can use these cheap, everyday household items instead:

• Lemon Juice

• Bleach

• Apple Cider Vinegar

• Sugar

Keep fruits away - Did you know that fruits release small amounts of ethylene gas? This gas can shorten the lifespan of your fresh flowers, so make sure to keep your bouquet away from your fruit basket.

Add a drop of leftover Christmas alcohol: Adding just a little bit of vodka or gin to your vase water can actually help your flowers last longer. This works because alcohol stops ethylene gas from building up. Ethylene gas is a natural gas that fruits and plants give off, and it speeds up wilting. By putting a few drops of alcohol in the water, you slow down this process, helping your flowers stay fresh for longer. 

Add a copper penny - Dropping an old copper penny into the vase water acts as a natural fungicide, helping to keep the water clean and your flowers fresh.

Keep flowers cool - Keep your bouquet cool to help it stay fresh longer. Cooler temperatures slow down wilting and help flowers keep their colour. Just make sure to avoid heat, like from radiators or direct sunlight.

Remove submerged leaves - Any leaves submerged in water can rot and promote bacterial growth. Remove these leaves to maintain water quality and extend the life of your bouquet.