Make your flowers last longer

Nothing brightens up a room more than a colourful bouquet of flowers. Unfortunately, no matter how beautiful they are, they start to wilt and die. However, taking good care of your flowers will help them last longer.

Follow these steps by Law and Michael Gaffney, founders of the New York School of Flower Design, to keep your fresh flowers living longer with common household ingredients:

Step 1: Add  250ml warm water to a clean vase.

Step 2: Pour two tablespoons of sugar into the water. The sugar will help nourish the flowers and promote the opening of the blooms.

Step 3: Add two tablespoons of white vinegar and stir well. The vinegar helps inhibit the growth of bacteria and keeps your flowers fresher longer. If you don’t have vinegar and/or sugar, lemon-lime soda mixed with the water will do the same thing.

Step 4: Remove all lower leaves from flowers so there won’t be any in the water.

Step 5: Cut 2,5 to 5cm off the stems at an angle while they are underwater.

Step 6: Arrange your flowers in the vase.

Step 7: Display your bouquet in a cool, draft-free area. Avoid direct sunlight, which causes the flowers to die more quickly.

Step 8: Change the water every other day and re-cut the stems each time.

Step 9: Enjoy your long-lasting flowers!