How to Make Your Mother's Day Flowers Last

Are you enjoying the beautiful flowers you received for Mother's Day and want to ensure they keep their longest vase life for your enjoyment? I've put together a quick guide on how to make your Mother's Day flowers last longer. Follow the easy tips below and you'll be well on your way to having flowers that still make you smile well into the week.

Make sure you use a clean vase

Use soap or another antibacterial agent to clean your vase prior to adding water. Bacteria growth is one of the quickest ways to shorten a flower’s life. A clean environment and bacteria prevention are key for long-lasting flowers.

Use a floral preservative

Adding a floral preservative to the water is an essential part of the flower care process. The preservative provides “food” for the flowers along with a disinfectant to prevent bacteria from growing in the vase.

Remove any damaged petals and all leaves below the water line

Clean up your flowers before adding them to your vase. Remove any damaged petals and leaves. 

Ensure only the stems are in the water. Leaves in the water will lead to additional bacteria growth. Cut any leaves that fall below the water level.

Change the water every day or two and recut your stems

Keep the water clean and full. Change out the water every couple days as the flowers begin to soak it up.

Use clean, sharp shears to recut each flower stem. Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle to provide a larger exposed area for water to get in. Trimming the flowers at an angle also prevents the stem from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase. While a little more complicated, it’s also helpful to cut the stems under running cold water. Immediately place the stem back into water once you’ve cut to your desired length.

Mist flowers

With certain flowers, like hydrangeas, it might be helpful to directly mist the petals with water.

Location, Location, Location

Keep flowers out of direct sunlight, preferably in a dark, cool place. Avoid placing flowers need radiators, televisions, or anything that will give off drafts or warm air.

Switch vases

Some flowers will bloom and wilt quicker than others. Continue regular flower maintenance and remove any wilted or dead flowers. It might be a good idea to move the remaining full flowers to a smaller vase.