Most bouquets end early for one reason, and it is not the flowers — it is the water. Below: six things that apply to everything, then how deep to fill the vase for your flower and how long it should last.
Every bouquet, every time
Trim at an angle
Trim about 2 cm off the stems at an angle before they go in water, and a little more each time you change it — a flat, dried-out cut sits on the bottom of the vase and drinks almost nothing.
Water every day or two
Change the water every day or two and rinse the vase while you are there. Cloudy water is what actually ends most bouquets, well before the flowers themselves are done.
No flower food powders
Skip the flower food sachets. We do not use them and do not recommend them: plain clean water changed often does more, and a powder in water that is not changed only feeds the bacteria.
No leaves under water
Strip any leaves that would sit below the waterline. Underwater they rot, and that is what clouds the water in the first place.
Out of sun and drafts
Keep them out of direct sun and away from heat vents and drafts. A cooler spot overnight buys you days.
Away from fruit
Keep them off the fruit bowl. Ripening fruit gives off ethylene, and flowers read that as a signal to finish up.
Warm up before unwrapping
If they have been out in the cold, let them come up to room temperature before you unwrap them.
What your flower wants
Vases drawn to the same scale, so you can compare at a glance: a hydrangea wants nearly three times the water a tulip does.
🌹Roses
About 15 cm — check daily and top up
In the vase5–7 days
014 days
Heavy drinkers
Top the water up every day and change it fully every two days. Roses wilt visibly and fast if the vase runs low.
Take the thorns off below the water
Submerged thorns break down and foul the water within a day.
Mist the leaves, never the petals
Water sitting on rose petals leaves brown spots. A light mist on the foliage once a day is plenty.
Reviving a drooping rose. Re-cut the stem and lay the whole stem — not the head — in cool water for half an hour. Most come back.
🌷Tulips
About 7 cm — tulips want shallow, cool water
In the vase5–10 days
014 days
They like it cold
Cool water, and ice cubes on a warm day. Cold slows them down, and slower means longer.
They keep growing
Tulips add centimetres after cutting and lean toward the light. Turn the vase daily or they end up bowing one way.
Keep them away from daffodils
Daffodil sap is toxic to tulips. If both are in the house, stand them apart for a day before mixing.
Keeping them straight. Leave them in their paper for the first few hours — it holds them upright while they drink.
💐Hydrangea
About 20 cm — check twice a day
In the vase5–8 days
014 days
The thirstiest flower you will own
Check the level morning and evening and never let it run dry. A wide, deep vase helps.
Split the woody stem end
The base is woody and blocks water. Crush or split the bottom two centimetres after cutting at an angle.
Mist the head, generously
Unlike roses, hydrangeas drink through their petals too. Misting the whole head once or twice a day is one of the best things you can do.
Reviving a wilted head. Submerge the entire flower head in cool water for twenty minutes. It almost always comes back.
🌸Lisianthus
About 15 cm — delicate stems, do not overfill
In the vase5–10 days
014 days
Handle the stems gently
Strip the lower leaves without bending the stem, and cut with a sharp blade — a crushed cut blocks their fine channels.
They open slowly, one bud at a time
That is normal. New buds keep opening for days, so the arrangement looks fuller as the week goes on.
Do not crowd them. Give them room in the vase. Packed stems trap humidity and the petals go over faster.
🌺Ranunculus
About 10 cm — hollow stems, keep it shallow
In the vase7–10 days
014 days
Cold water, cool room
In a heated Calgary house the water warms quickly — check it more often than you would for anything else.
Closing at night is normal
They shut in the dark and open again in warmth and light. That is health, not wilting.
Bright morning light. A spot with morning light encourages them to open fully.
🌼Lilies
About 15 cm — change every two days
In the vase8–12 days
014 days
⚠️ Lily pollen is highly toxic to cats. If there is a cat in the house, pinch the stamens out before the buds open — the pollen also stains fabric permanently.
Take the stamens out as buds open
It stops the staining and keeps the bloom going longer.
They open one at a time
The arrangement looks fuller in two or three days than it does on the first.
Nowhere near the fruit bowl
Lilies are the most ethylene-sensitive flower in this list. Ripening fruit finishes them early.
About the scent. Oriental lilies are strongly fragrant. In a bedroom that is a lot — a larger, ventilated room suits them better.
🌿Carnations
About 15 cm — rinse the vase at every change
In the vase10–14 days
014 days
Among the longest-lasting flowers there are
Water every two days and a trim, and they hold colour for nearly a fortnight.
Away from fruit — bananas especially
Ethylene visibly shortens them.
Cool rooms add days
Away from sunny windows, vents and appliances. A few degrees is worth several days.
Guard petals. If the outer petals look bruised, peel them off — the ones underneath are perfect.
🌺Peonies
About 17 cm — they drink hard as they open
In the vase5–7 days
014 days
Tight buds are a good sign
Room-temperature water and a warm spot, and they unfurl over a day or two.
Once open, move them somewhere cooler
It slows the ageing and keeps the petals looking fresh.
Coaxing a stubborn bud. Cup it in warm hands for a few seconds, then put it back in indirect light.
🌼Alstroemeria
About 15 cm — change every two days
In the vase10–14 days
014 days
The best value in the vase
Peruvian lily easily runs ten to fourteen days on water changes and trims alone.
The foliage rots fast
Strip anything below the waterline, and pull yellowing leaves at every water change.
Making it last even longer. Pinch off spent blooms — it pushes the remaining buds to open.
🌻Chrysanthemums
About 15 cm — forgiving, just never dry
In the vase10–14 days
014 days
The hardiest flower here
With water changes and trims they run the full two weeks.
Strip the lower half
Mum leaves below the water break down quickly and cloud it. Check daily for any that slipped under.
Cool nights. Moving them to a cooler room overnight noticeably extends them.
