5 Tips for Extending the Life of Cut Flowers

*This post is sponsored by UrbanStems

Since planting our first cut flower garden this Spring, we’ve had a steady stream of blooms in our home and it’s been such a joy. So I teamed up with the folks at UrbanStems to bring you a post on how to extend the life of cut flowers. They have 5 easy ways to make flowers last longer in the vase and you can use these tricks on blooms that are mail ordered, bought from your local florist, or cut from your own garden.

Psst: There’s a discount code for you from UrbanStems at the bottom of this post!

5 tips for extending the life of cut flowers on www.thegritandpolish.com

I’m pretty sure I say this every season, but my favorite way to decorate for fall is with flowers and natural elements! This is UrbanStem’s Raveena boquet. They have some pretty spectacular fall florals and wreaths and I’m sharing my favorites at the bottom of this post.

Five tips for extending the life of cut flowers

One // You need food and so do your flowers!

Flower food is a must. Many florists and online flower retailers will provide a small packet of plant food, but I order this large package for my home-cut blooms. Pour the powder into a vase full of fresh, cool water.

Two // Cut the stems

Stems should be cut at a 45-degree angle before going in the vase. And make sure the stems are long enough to extend deep into the vase so they don’t end up above water.

Three // Take the leaves off

Remove any leaves that will be below the water line.

Four // Set Blooms out of direct sunlight

Whether you’re arranging your own flowers or unboxing a bouquet of fresh blooms, keep them out of the direct sunlight (except for a quick photo opp 😉).

Five // Replace water daily and remove any wilting stems

Replace the water in your vase daily. And be sure to remove any stems that are wilting so your bouquet stays fresh longer.

That’s it! Pretty easy, right?!

UrbanStems

UrbanStems is a great way to send farm-fresh flowers, wreaths, and other gifts long-distance! They have a wide variety of flowers and seasonal bouquets and I love that they prioritize buying from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. Ordering is easy, shipping is fast, and might I just add that flowers and wreaths are always a joy to receive?! Use code GRIT15 for 15% off + free shipping from your UrbanStems order this month.

Here are a few of my favorite fall bouquets, wreaths, and gifts from UrbanStems…