The sun came back! Holy toledo, I was so thrilled this morning, I went to a local florist and picked up some of my favorites, Sunflowers and Tulips. This a simple way to keep flowers alive the longest possible. It's pretty easy, just have to cut them correctly, prep them and change the water daily.
Here is what you will need.
I know, bleach and a penny seems like an odd combination for floral arrangements but trust me, it's crucial. Start by choosing your vase or vessel. I am partial to high vases with a small opening for sunflowers and wide deep vases for tulips. I tend to pick sizes and shapes that mimic the natural shape or movement of the flower. Tulips look best as they flop or fall over the edge. Sunflowers will continue to stand straight up.
I used a beautiful glass ice bucket as I actually don't own a wide deep vase.
This is Crate and Barrels, ours is slightly different but very similar.
Flared Square Vase looks great with Sunflowers.
Then I cut my flowers to the appropriate length, cutting on a slight diagonal and stripping any additional leaves. I never fill the vase until I have cut the flowers to the right height. Always trim less, you can cut more but you can't make them longer.
After they are set in the vase correctly, I tend to nestle and place for a little bit till it looks right to me and then I add water and a penny! There is something about the penny which helps Tulips live longer. I have no idea about the science, but my mother learned this from her mother and now I do it as well. It's proven successful.
On to the sunlflowers! They are my favorite flower, so happy and vibrant. I use the same method to cut my sunflowers as I did with the tulips, measuring and double checking the height to the vase. After that is all settled, I take the flowers out and pour less than 1/2 teaspoon bleach in the bottom of the vase and fill with 1/2 cup of water. A farmer at the Union Square farmer's market explained to me, that the stalk on a Sunflower is very porous and really doesn't need a whole lot of water, the bleach acts as a combative so the stalks don't absorb as much. People have a tendency to fill any vase with flowers to the brim, it's not necessary, if anything its more harmful. Sunflowers in particular, tend to rot quickly when there is too much water.
Finally, I change the water for both once daily. I lift the flowers out, dump the water, rinse the stems and then refill. I have found there is enough bleach in the glass, so it's unnecessary to add it back for the sunflowers. If they look a little less perky, I will trim the ends.
Enjoy this precious spring day!
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