Flower Tips: What works, and what doesn’t?

For many homeowners, adding a bouquet of flowers to their decor is an important part of creating a bright and inviting environment. Yet, without the proper care, flowers can sometimes wilt earlier than we’d like them to - leaving us having to get a new bouquet earlier than we planned.

Here at Euroflorist, we take pride in our 7 day freshness guarantee, providing that the proper flower care routine is followed.

But, for those wondering how do i keep flowers fresh?, many people may find themselves turning to popular viral hacks to make flowers last longer, such as putting vodka in your vase, or even adding copper coins to name a few.

 

As such, the team here at Euroflorist conducted an experiment with these viral flower tips, to find out once and for all which one’s will make flowers last longer, and which one’s won't.

To make the experiment fair, we trialled these hacks on two bouquets, one bouquet containing only water (left bouquet) alongside another bouquet that we conducted the hack on (right bouquet). We also didn’t follow any of our recommended care advice on either bouquet, to see the true effects of these popular flower tips.

Continue reading below to see the results:


Which tips make flowers last longer?

The Vodka Hack

different flower bouquets in a vase on a table

The vodka hack is an unusual method to help assist flower growth, but it can produce some benefits for your bouquet. Using vodka for this helps to inhibit ethylene production, a gas that plants emit, to keep them healthy, and stop maturing or wilting.

To carry out the hack, simply add a teaspoon of vodka into the water of your flowers, and continue to add every time you change your bouquet's water (once every 3-4 days).

The results of this hack did show some improvement for some species of flowers in the bouquet, but overall, the flowers did not have a significant enough improvement to be considered a better method than using standard flower food and fresh water.

The Copper Coin Hack

4 flower bouquets in a vase on a table

A common old wives’ tale was that a copper coin inside a vase of water was all you needed to help the growth of your flowers. This is because the copper in the coins contains a natural fungicide that can prevent any bacterial growth, preventing your flowers from dying early.

But while this hack might have been useful at one point in time, the results of the experiment showed that this did not have any significant benefits to the growth of the flowers, and actually, resulted in many flowers dropping prematurely.

How to conduct proper flower care

The experiment highlighted the importance of performing proper flower care and maintenance routines on our bouquets - as these key steps are needed to ensure your flowers last as long as possible. 

 

As such, we’ve put together a list of the top flower care steps you should take to ensure your flowers last as long as possible:

- Placing your flowers in a clean vase is crucial for the longevity of your flowers. Make sure to clean it thoroughly with dish soap and warm water to remove any residue that could harbor bacteria.

- Snip 2-3cm from each stem, and make sure to remove any leaves that may fall below the water line.

- Then, to refresh your flowers, re-cut the stems every 2-3 days and place them back in a clean vase of fresh water.

- Keep flowers away from fruits, draughts, direct sunlight, heat sources such as radiators, as these factors can affect the health and growth of your bouquet.

Author

David Denyer

Euroflorist's Flower Expert

With over 35 years of floristry experience, David Denyer is a renowned master in his field. His talent and artistic vision have earned him numerous accolades and awards, establishing him as one of the industry's leading figures. David has captivated audiences worldwide, showcasing his passion for floristry in Europe, China, Australia, and America. His captivating demonstrations have left a lasting impression on floral enthusiasts globally. In 2023, David made a memorable appearance on the prestigious television show, Gardeners World, further solidifying his reputation as an exceptional florist. David's journey to success began in 1996 when he was named Interflora "Florist of the Year." Since then, he has represented the United Kingdom in the "Europa Cup" and achieved consecutive Chelsea Gold Medals and Best in Show titles at the renowned Chelsea Flower Show from 2000 to 2003. In July 2004, David was once again named Interflora "Florist of the Year" and led his team to victory at the Interflora World Cup in Melbourne, Australia. He continued to impress with another Chelsea Gold Medal in 2005 and received a Gold Medal in 2011 for his floral installation titled "A Sense of Perspective." David's Accolades: July 1996: Interflora "Florist of the Year"; September 1999: Represented the UK in the "Europa Cup" in Austria; May 2000-2005: 6x Consecutive Chelsea Gold Medal and Best in Show - Professional Floristry; July 2004: Interflora "Florist of the Year"; September 2004: Interflora World Cup Winners in Melbourne, Australia; 2011: Chelsea Gold Medal for "A Sense of Perspective" floral installation; 2023: Appeared on Gardeners World in 2023; David's vast experience and expertise now benefits Eflorist customers. Understanding the emotional power of flowers, he ensures that every customer receives the utmost delight when enjoying their thoughtfully sent bouquet.