Caring for Mother’s Day Bouquets

Extend the beauty and enjoyment of this year’s Mother’s Day bouquet. A few extra minutes spent caring for cut flowers can add days to your enjoyment.

Select flowers free from brown edges and blemishes that are just starting to open. Wrap flowers with paper or plastic to protect them on their journey home.

Remove the lower leaves before arranging. Submerged leaves can lead to fungal growth and reduce vase life

Recut the stem on a slight angle. This prevents the cut end from sitting square on the bottom of the vase preventing the uptake of water

Place the flowers in a clean vase filled with fresh water. Keep the vase filled and replace the water every few days to keep the flowers fresh and the water clear. And if the vase does go dry, recut the stems and place them back in the vase filled with fresh water.

You can add floral preservative to the water. If the florist doesn’t provide it, you can make your own. Add clear sugary soda and a drop of bleach to the water to keep the flowers looking good.

A bit more information: Don’t be quick to discard roses with bent necks. These drooping beauties can be revived. Recut their stems and submerge the whole flower in warm water for thirty minutes. Re-cut the stem again and place the rose in a vase with fresh water. The buds will open and you will be able to enjoy their beauty for days to come.