01 Aug 2026
How to Make Cut Flowers Last Longer: 7 Simple Tips
A fresh bouquet is one of the easiest ways to brighten up a room. But how do you keep those flowers from wilting after just a few days? With a handful of simple habits, you can keep your bouquet looking beautiful for much longer. Here are our top tips.
## 1. Trim the stems at an angle
Cut the stems with a sharp knife or angled scissors at a 45-degree angle, right before placing the flowers in a vase. An angled cut increases the surface area for water absorption and prevents the stem from resting flat against the bottom of the vase, which can block water uptake.
## 2. Remove leaves below the waterline
Any leaves sitting below the waterline will start to rot, speeding up bacterial growth in the water. Remove all leaves that would end up underwater before placing your flowers in the vase.
## 3. Change the water every two days
Fresh water contains fewer bacteria, which is the main reason bouquets wilt prematurely. Ideally, change the water every other day, and rinse the vase thoroughly before adding fresh water.
## 4. Use flower food
The small sachet of flower food often included with a bouquet contains sugars for energy and ingredients that slow bacterial growth. Don't have any on hand? A small amount of sugar with a splash of white vinegar works as a simple alternative.
## 5. Choose tap water or filtered water wisely
If your tap water is heavily chlorinated or very hard, letting it sit for a few hours before use — or switching to filtered water — can make a noticeable difference in how long delicate blooms stay fresh.
## 6. Keep your bouquet in a cool spot
Heat speeds up the wilting process. Avoid placing your bouquet in direct sunlight, near a radiator, or next to a bowl of ripening fruit — ripening fruit releases ethylene gas, which causes flowers to age faster.
## 7. Remove wilted flowers promptly
Once a flower in the bouquet starts to wilt, it releases bacteria faster into the rest of the arrangement. Remove wilted flowers as soon as you notice them to keep the rest looking fresh.
## A longer-lasting bouquet starts with fresh flowers
These 7 tips will help you get the most out of every bouquet. But the best foundation is still freshly cut quality. At Dutchflowers, we work with short delivery times so your flowers arrive as fresh as possible — for a bouquet you'll enjoy for longer.
## 1. Trim the stems at an angle
Cut the stems with a sharp knife or angled scissors at a 45-degree angle, right before placing the flowers in a vase. An angled cut increases the surface area for water absorption and prevents the stem from resting flat against the bottom of the vase, which can block water uptake.
## 2. Remove leaves below the waterline
Any leaves sitting below the waterline will start to rot, speeding up bacterial growth in the water. Remove all leaves that would end up underwater before placing your flowers in the vase.
## 3. Change the water every two days
Fresh water contains fewer bacteria, which is the main reason bouquets wilt prematurely. Ideally, change the water every other day, and rinse the vase thoroughly before adding fresh water.
## 4. Use flower food
The small sachet of flower food often included with a bouquet contains sugars for energy and ingredients that slow bacterial growth. Don't have any on hand? A small amount of sugar with a splash of white vinegar works as a simple alternative.
## 5. Choose tap water or filtered water wisely
If your tap water is heavily chlorinated or very hard, letting it sit for a few hours before use — or switching to filtered water — can make a noticeable difference in how long delicate blooms stay fresh.
## 6. Keep your bouquet in a cool spot
Heat speeds up the wilting process. Avoid placing your bouquet in direct sunlight, near a radiator, or next to a bowl of ripening fruit — ripening fruit releases ethylene gas, which causes flowers to age faster.
## 7. Remove wilted flowers promptly
Once a flower in the bouquet starts to wilt, it releases bacteria faster into the rest of the arrangement. Remove wilted flowers as soon as you notice them to keep the rest looking fresh.
## A longer-lasting bouquet starts with fresh flowers
These 7 tips will help you get the most out of every bouquet. But the best foundation is still freshly cut quality. At Dutchflowers, we work with short delivery times so your flowers arrive as fresh as possible — for a bouquet you'll enjoy for longer.