Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Nothing is more springtime than those splendid and fresh tulips that have just been cut from the garden or bought from a flower shop. Tulips are quite durable, and can last up to 10 days after cutting if you take proper care of them. The first key is to choose fresh flowers, then you can nourish their beauty by placing the vase in the right place and providing plenty of water for the flowers. Start with step 1 below for tips on keeping tulips fresh.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Prepare flowers before plugging

1. 

   Choose new blooms. When you go to the flower shop, you will easily be attracted by the blooming flowers. These flowers will be great if you want a real “sparkling” tulip vase at your dinner party. However, if you want to keep the flowers fresh for a long time, choose flowers that just have just opened with green buds that have no color. They will bloom within a few days and you can enjoy their beauty for a while longer.
   • If you are cutting tulips in the garden and want to have them on display for a long time, cut them before they bloom. Cut as close to the base as possible.

2. 

   
   
   Wrap the stem in a wet cloth or wet paper towel. When you bring flowers from the store, use a tissue or cloth soaked in clean water to cover the flowers. This will prevent the flower from drying out on the way home. Do this even when the path is not too far. A short period of water shortage causes the tulips to die faster.

3. 

   
   
   Cut off about 0.5 cm of the base of the flower stalk. Use shears to cut the stalk diagonally. This step will help the flower absorb water better.

4. 

   Remove the leaves at the base of the flower stalk. Eliminate any leaves that could be soaked in water when inserted in the jar. The leaves can rot and will cause the flowers to die prematurely. advertisement

Part 2 of 2: Flower arrangement

1. 

   
   
   Choose a suitable vase. Choose a vase that is at least half the length of the tulip stem. The flower branches should rest against the vase without falling out. If the vase is too low, the flowers will turn out. Some people like this type of arrangement, but the flowers can fade more quickly.

2. 

   Wash the vase. Make sure the vase has no traces of the previous arrangement. Wash the vase thoroughly with soap and warm water, then dry completely with a towel. This way your fresh tulips won't get invaded by bacteria that can cause them to rot more quickly.

3. 

   Fill the jar with cold water. Cold water will keep the stalks fresh and firm, while warm or hot water will make them soft and soaked.

4. 

   Plug the flowers into the jar. Arrange the flowers slightly apart, so that one flower is not based on the other. The small gap between the flowers will prevent them from overlapping, causing the petals to drop prematurely and shortening the flower's lifespan.

5. 

   Keep the vase full of water. Tulips need lots of water. You need to pay attention not to let the water dry out, otherwise, the flowers will wither very quickly.

6. 

   Add nutrients to the flowers. Flowering nutrients or preservatives available at flower shops help keep flowers significantly fresh for a long time. Read the instructions and sprinkle the nutrients as you fill the bottle. Your flowers will stay upright and firm for longer.
   • You can try adding some lemon juice, coins or the like to the vase. Some people claim these tips also work, but research shows that nutrients are much more effective.

7. 

   Avoid the sun. Place the vase in a place that is not too hot or sunny. Otherwise, the flower will wither from the heat.

8. 

   Don't share tulips with narcissus species. Daffodils and several other flowers in this family secrete a substance that causes the flowers to fade quickly. Tulips stay fresh for the longest time when separated in a jar. advertisement

Advice

• When buying tulips at a flower shop, choose flowers with buds.
• Use a medium-sized needle to prick the stalk just below the calyx. So the flowers will remain beautiful for the whole week. This is advice from the Dutch.
• When cutting tulips in the garden, cut diagonally rather than horizontally.
• Putting a bouquet of tulips with wrapping paper in a vase for a few hours will increase the chances of keeping the stalk straight.
• Since tulips still grow even after cut, they will usually curl in the shape of a vase. If you want, you can straighten the tulips by wrapping them in damp newspaper and placing them in slightly lukewarm water for a few hours.
• Tulips are "light direction" flowers - they tilt towards the light - so it's a good idea to rotate the vase every day to keep the stalks upright.
• Tulips can be safely bundled with most other flowers.
• Plug the tulips into a uniquely shaped vase for the twisted stalks and harmonize with the vase.

Warning

• Do not share tulips with daffodils or plug in water where daffodils have been installed.
• Adding aspirin, lemon juice, coins, soda water and or some other mixture to the water to increase the strength of the flower is just a myth.
• After you have cut the tulip stem underwater, don't let the stem dry before you plug it into the jar.