Flower care

How to enjoy your flowers for extra long

At Firenze Bloemenatelier, I stand for daily fresh top quality from the auction. I gladly give you my 7-day freshness guarantee. Do you want your handcrafted bouquet to radiate in your home even longer? With these professional care tips, you will get the absolute most out of your flowers!

1. Preparation: A clean start

  • Wash the vase thoroughly: Bacteria are the biggest enemy of cut flowers. Preferably choose a glass vase and wash it beforehand with a drop of dish soap or bleach. Rinse the vase very well with cold water afterward.

  • Use regular tap water: Fill the vase with fresh, cool tap water. Do not use ice-cold water (this shocks the flowers) or lukewarm/warm water (in which bacteria grow rapidly).

  • Add the flower food: Mix the free included packet of flower food into the water. This gives the flowers the necessary energy to open beautifully and keeps the water clean for longer.

2. Placing the bouquet in the vase

  • Cut the stems diagonally: Use a sharp, clean knife to cut about 2 centimeters diagonally off the bottom of the stems. Try not to use kitchen scissors; scissors pinch the vessels of the stem closed, making it harder for the flower to absorb water.

  • Clean the lower stems: Ensure that absolutely no leaves or greenery submerge in the water. Leaves in the water will rot, causing rapid bacterial growth and a cloudy vase.

3. The perfect spot in the house

  • Keep away from fruit: Never place your bouquet right next to the fruit bowl. Ripening fruit (such as bananas and apples) releases ethylene gas, which unfortunately causes flowers to fade much faster.

  • Avoid heat and drafts: Do not place your flowers in bright, direct sunlight or near a hot radiator or underfloor heating. Heat and drafts cause the flowers to evaporate water faster than they can absorb through their stems.

  • Nighttime tip: Want to go the extra mile? Place your bouquet in a cooler room at night, such as the hallway or utility room.

4. Maintenance after a few days

  • Top up the water: Flowers drink a huge amount during the first few days. Check the water level daily and top it up when necessary.

  • Refresh the water: Is the water getting a bit cloudy after 4 to 5 days? Empty the water, rinse the vase, cut a small piece off the stems diagonally again, and fill the vase with fresh tap water. Remove any faded flowers immediately to protect the rest of the bouquet.