How to Keep Your Flower Bouquet Looking Fresh

Simple steps to make your bouquet last

Cut flowers are fleeting by nature, but with the right care, you can stretch that beauty for days — sometimes over a week — and enjoy each stage as the blooms unfold.

Start Clean

Begin with a clean vase and sharp clippers. Any bacteria on tools or glass will shorten the life of your flowers.

Fill the vase with cool water and, if you’d like, add a teaspoon of sugar and a drop of bleach or white vinegar — a simple homemade preservative.

Trim and Arrange

Cut each stem at a diagonal just before placing it in water. Remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline; they’ll rot quickly and cloud the vase.

Arrange your flowers loosely so air can circulate, and avoid crowding too tightly.

Maintain and Refresh

Change the water every two days, re-trimming stems each time. Keep arrangements out of direct sun, away from heaters, and far from ripening fruit (the ethylene gas from fruit speeds up wilting).

If a few stems fade early, don’t hesitate to remove them. Editing as you go keeps the arrangement fresh.

Enjoy the Cycle

Some flowers last a week or more; others are gone in a few days. Together, they create a natural rhythm — one bloom opens as another fades. That’s part of the charm.