Methods for resuscitating cut flowers from a fading bouquet

It's a shame when donated flowers quickly lose their original appearance and begin to fade. If a bouquet of roses given by a dear person has withered, you can try to revive it. There are several ways to do this. It is advisable not to put things off for a long time, then you will be able to extend the life of the flowers for some more time.

Why do moisture-loving plants in a bouquet quickly wither?

Plants living in a flower bed absorb water and nutrition from the soil, so they maintain a fresh appearance for a long time. Cut flowers are deprived of the necessary substances, as a result of which they begin to rapidly fade. The larger the inflorescences and leaves, the more moisture-loving plants the crops are considered to be. The larger the size of the sheet plates, the faster moisture evaporates from them. In addition, any flowers will wither almost immediately if:

• they were put into the water after 30 minutes or even later;
• the bouquet has been in the cold or in extreme heat (for example, in a closed car in a parking lot in the summer);
• stale goods were sold;
• you did not trim the stems before putting the flowers in the water;
• a vase with a bouquet stands in a draft or near a radiator;
• There is no daily change of water, as a result of which putrefactive bacteria multiply.

Bouquets quickly wither, next to which they placed a vase with ripe fruits that emit ethylene. Any of the above reasons can cause the composition to wither the next day.Flowers with delicate thin petals become lifeless faster than their counterparts. It’s especially a pity when roses dry up, because these flowers look royal.

How to prune and where to place roses?

A bouquet brought from the store should be placed in a vase with water as quickly as possible. Before this, each stem is cut at an angle of 45 degrees, making a fresh cut. For the procedure, only a sharp knife is used - in this case, the capillaries of the plant are not damaged and the roses actively absorb moisture.

The vase must be clean. It is washed thoroughly by adding a little bleach to the water. In this case, all pathogenic bacteria will be destroyed and the bouquet will be able to maintain its freshness longer. To keep the composition looking good longer, it is advisable to add a special product for caring for cut flowers to the water; it is sold in flower shops.

You need to place the bouquet where direct sunlight will not reach it. By the way, flowers will last longer if they are all of the same type. A bouquet of several plants may lose its decorative effect faster. Flowers are often antagonists to each other.

What to do if a bouquet of roses begins to lose its freshness?

Sometimes flowers drop their heads too quickly. Contemplating a fading bouquet does not bring joy at all, so it is better to urgently start resuscitating it. The petals should not be allowed to dry out. In this case, all measures to save the roses will be useless; it is better to hang them with their heads down and dry them, first covering them with hairspray. In a week you will be able to receive a gorgeous bouquet of dried flowers.

If only the blossoming buds are bent and the tips of the leaves are curled down, resuscitation will not be useful.You can take an integrated approach using several methods at once.

Nutrient solutions

When there is no special fertilizer for cut flowers in the house, use improvised means. You can give roses additional nutrition by adding to a vase of water:

• granulated sugar – 1-2 tbsp. spoons;
• table vinegar - 1 teaspoon;
• citric acid – 0.5 teaspoon.

These additives, even if only for a short time, will help the flowers look vibrant. The solution is replaced daily with fresh one.

Medicines, bleach

This method is risky to use. You can get the exact opposite effect from using pharmaceutical products. Take note of this option to use as a last resort when other methods are ineffective. In this case, agents such as ammonia solution (ammonia) or alcohol are used.

You can add just 2 drops of one or the other into the water for flowers. Ammonia and alcohol destroy bacteria and prevent the appearance of mucus that clogs the capillaries in the stems of roses, which is why the bouquet lasts longer. Bleach serves the same purpose and is used in an amount of 3-4 drops.

Silver coins or spoon

Objects made of silver have long been placed in water for the purpose of disinfection. Silver will also help out in this situation. If the bouquet is fading, throw a couple of silver coins or a teaspoon of this metal into the vase. It is better to use this method simultaneously with some other method. By itself, it may not be very effective.

Temperature contrast

They say that the bouquet will not wither for a long time if you give the roses shock therapy. Pour boiling water over the ends of the stems, then place the flowers in a bowl of cold water, protecting the buds from moisture.

It is convenient to do the procedure at night. In the morning, put the roses back in the vase.You can add saltpeter to the water for soaking the stems (1 teaspoon per 4 liters of water). The bouquet will wither 5-7 days later if you give it daily baths with ice cubes added to the water. Cool the flowers for 2-3 hours a day.

Roses are too fragile and delicate to be left unattended even when cut. Care and maintenance can extend the life of a bouquet by a week or even more. Of course, roses cannot stay fresh for months, but by applying the methods described, you can admire the beautiful flowers for a few extra days.