Bouquets make a wonderful gift, but they won’t last forever. Homeowners in San Francisco, CA often wonder what water works best for flowers in order for them to stay fresh. However, floral care is less about choosing the best water for flowers and more about providing enough of it. Below you’ll find some quick advice for extending the life of your bouquets.
Tap water vs. filtered water
Ultimately, the type of water you put in flower vases doesn’t matter. Tap water from your kitchen sink keeps bouquets alive as much as the fancy bottled stuff from the store. By no means will tap water harm your flowers or shorten their lifespan. Humans may prefer the taste of filtered water, but plants aren’t picky about what you give them!
It’s not a matter of what water works best for flowers. What’s most important is making sure your flowers have enough to drink. Whether you’re putting tap water or filtered water in the flower vase, check the water level every day. The more flowers you have in the bouquet, the more water they’ll need. Also, some flowers drink more than others. This affects how frequently you’ll need to add fresh water.
Sprinkle nutrients in the flower vase
You should use the packet of flower food that likely came with your bouquet. However, a common mistake among novice flower enthusiasts is dumping the entire packet all at once. To extend the bouquet’s lifespan, sprinkle in a small amount every time you switch out the water. When it comes to providing the best water for flowers, a little bit goes a long way.
Perhaps the bouquet was handpicked from your garden or didn’t come with a food packet. If that’s the case, you can make flower food with common household ingredients. Combine sugar, lemon juice and bleach in some water. Sugar is a great food source for flowers, and the acidity of lemon juice maximizes their ability to absorb water. Bleach clears the water of bacteria that might kill the flowers.
Additional tips for preserving bouquets
There’s much to consider beyond what water works best for flowers in San Francisco, CA. Trim the stems on a daily basis to avoid letting them dry out and stunt their ability to absorb water. Using sharp scissors, cut off one inch at an angle to give the stem a greater surface area. Be sure to trim stems under a running faucet so they won’t develop air pockets.
Placement of the bouquet matters, too. Cut flowers have a difficult time surviving under direct sunlight, so avoid window sills. They also don’t like the excessive warmth that comes from heaters. Choose a cool spot in your home with indirect sunlight.
Following these simple tips will help bouquets brighten your home for as long as possible. Of course, proper floral care starts with finding the freshest blooms in San Francisco, CA. At The Delicate Daisy – House of Flowers, we offer freshly picked flowers from local sources. Call us or pay us a visit to learn more about how to care for your flowers.