Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Preparing tulips for display
• Part 2 of 2: Demonstration of tulips
• Tips
• Warnings

Nothing says "spring" has come like a bouquet of bright, gorgeous tulips fresh from the garden or flower shop. Tulips are persistent flowers that can bloom up to 10 days after being cut if you know how to properly care for them. Choosing fresh flowers is the key to success, and you can prolong their beauty by placing them in the right place and giving plenty of water. See step 1 for tips you can use to create a long lasting tulip bloom.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Preparing tulips for display

1. 1 Choose young tulips. When you're in a flower shop, you might be tempted to buy tulips that are fully open, with vibrantly colored petals. It would be a great choice if the tulips were meant for a one-day occasion, but if you want them to bloom for a long time, choose tulips that are still tightly closed with green buds that are not fully blooming. The flowers will open within a few days, giving you more time to enjoy them.
   • If you are cutting your own tulips and want to keep them in the vase for as long as possible, cut them before they fully open. Cut as close to the ground as possible.
2. 2 Wrap the stems in a wet rag or paper towel. When you bring your tulips home from the store, keep them wrapped in paper towels or a washcloth dipped in fresh water. This ensures that the tulips don't wither prematurely on the way home. Do this even if the flower shop is not very far from your home. Whenever the water runs out, tulips age faster.
3. 3 Cut 6 mm. from the base of the stems. Cut off the stems at an angle with small scissors. This will help the tulips easily absorb water from the vase.
4. 4 Remove excess leaves at the base of the stems. If there are leaves on the stems that will be submerged in the water when you place them in the vase, remove them. Leaves can start to rot and cause flowers to fall off prematurely.

Part 2 of 2: Demonstration of tulips

1. 1 Choose a suitable vase. Get a vase that's tall enough to cover at least half the height of the tulips you brought home. They will be able to lean on the vase without bending over. If you use a lower vase, the flowers will eventually tilt forward. Some people like this effect, but it can cause flowers to fade faster.
2. 2 Wash the vase. Make sure there is no leftover sediment from the last bouquet in the vase. Use soap and warm water to wash it thoroughly, then dry the vase completely with a towel. This way, fresh tulips will not pick up bacteria that can cause rotting faster.
3. 3 Fill a vase with cold water. Cold water will keep the stems fresh and firm, while warm or hot water will make them weak and soft.
4. 4 Arrange the stems around the vase. Arrange the tulips so that each has some space in the vase and does not lie on top of each other. Give each one a little space, and this will prevent them from killing each other, which will cause the petals to fall prematurely and shorten the lifespan of your flowers.
5. 5 Make sure there is always fresh water in the vase. Tulips drink a lot of water. Make sure it never runs out completely, or they will start to fade very quickly.
6. 6 Add some flower dressing. Adding a flower dressing or flower preservative, which is available in flower shops, will greatly increase the flower's lifespan. Read the instructions and add some top dressing when adding water. This will help the tulips to stand upright and keep them looking alive for as long as possible.
   • You can try putting lemon juice, pennies, and similar materials in a flower vase. Some say these tricks work, but research shows flower dressing is much more effective.
7. 7 Keep the vase out of the sun. Place it in a not too hot and sunny place. Otherwise, tulips will wither in the heat.
8. 8 Do not place tulips with Narcissus flowers. Daffodils and other flowers in this family exude a substance that causes the flowers to wilt faster. Tulips do best in a vase without other flowers.

Tips

• When buying tulips from the store, choose tulips with closed flower heads.
• As tulips continue to grow even after they are cut, they are often tilted to match their capacity. If desired, straighten the tulips by wrapping them in damp newspaper and placing them in warm water for several hours.
• Leaving the wrapped tulips in the vase for several hours will increase the chances of keeping the stems straight.
• Place the curled tulips in an irregular vase similar in shape to the stems.
• Tulips can be safely delivered in the same bouquet as most other flowers.
• Pierce the stem with a medium needle just below the flower. This will help keep the flowers attractive for a week. Dutch Council.

Warnings

• Do not put tulips in the same daffodil vase or in the water that the daffodils were in.
• Adding aspirin, lemon juice, coins, soda and other mixtures to water is just a myth to extend the lifespan of cut tulips.
• After cutting, keep the tulip stem under water, do not let the stem dry out before placing it in a vase or decorative container.