Easy Crafts & Decorating

4 Tricks to Make a Bouquet Last Longer

With some clever downsizing and creative rearranging, a simple store-bought bouquet can last much longer than you think!

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Day 1

Before arranging your blossoms, floral stylist Rebecca Cole of Rebecca Cole Designs suggests conditioning them first. “Let your flowers rest in a clean vase filled with cool water for an hour.” Then, snip the ends at a sharp angle and remove any thorns and leaves. Change the water daily!

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Day 2

Yank wilting blooms immediately. “A dying flower can spread bacteria to the others,” explains Cole. Do the same with dried leaves and filler such as baby’s breath. As you eliminate flowers, it helps to downsize the arrangement to a smaller, more compact vase.

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Day 3

Roses and carnations last longer than most, says floral expert Rehan yar Khan of Flora2000. Expect them to hold up for about a week. A pretty way to present them is to chop them short and cluster them in a low, widemouthed bowl or other type of vessel.

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Day 4

Even when the rest of your bouquet is dead, if you have just one good flower left, such as a carnation, don’t dump it! Cole suggests putting it in a bud vase or floating the head in a teacup. Display it near the bed as a reminder of the beautiful blossoms you enjoyed all week long.