In short: what to do first
1 Choose a clean, stable vase that suits the size of your bouquet.
2 Fill it with fresh water and add Chrysal following the instructions on the packet.
3 Carefully remove the transport wrapping.
4 If your bouquet is secured with a tie or floral anchor, you may remove it for a looser, more natural shape. If your vase has a wide opening, or if you prefer to preserve the bouquet’s original form, it can be left in place.
5 Set the bouquet in the vase and make sure every stem reaches the water.
6 Remove any leaves sitting below the waterline.
7 After 2 to 3 days, wash the vase, replace the water completely, and lightly re-cut the stems with secateurs by about 0.5 to 2 cm.
8 Keep the bouquet away from direct sun, radiators, the stove, candles, fruit, and drafts.
9 Do not leave flowers out of water for too long: the sooner they are back in clean water, the longer they will stay beautiful at home.
In detail
Start with the vase
Once a bouquet arrives home, the kindest first step is simply to prepare fresh water for it.
Choose a vase that suits the bouquet well. It should not be too narrow, or the stems will feel cramped, and it should not be too wide, or the bouquet may lose its shape and open out too loosely. The vase should be properly clean, not just quickly rinsed. If it has been sitting on a shelf for a while, wash it with dish soap and rinse it well. Clean water always starts with a clean vase, and that alone helps flowers stay fresher for longer.
Any leaves that would fall below the waterline should be removed.
Add the Chrysal
We include Chrysal with every bouquet because it is one of the simplest ways to help cut flowers last better at home.
It helps keep the water cleaner, supports hydration through the stems, and gives the flowers what they need to open more gracefully. It is best used exactly as directed rather than guessed by eye. Too little will be less effective, and too much can damage the stems.
Just dissolve it in the correct amount of water and stir well.
What not to add to the water
You may come across advice suggesting aspirin, vinegar, vodka, bleach, or other kitchen ingredients. We do not recommend that.
These home remedies are inconsistent, and the proportions are difficult to judge. A flower food made specifically for cut flowers is a calmer, safer option and gives more reliable results.
How to unwrap the bouquet
Prepare the vase first, then remove the bouquet from its wrapping.
Try not to pull on the paper or lift the bouquet by the blooms. It is easier to hold it gently at the base. If it arrives with an aqua pack or water bag, it is best removed over the sink.
Paper, film, and ribbons can usually come off so the flowers have room to breathe and open naturally. If the bouquet has a technical tie or anchor, you can remove it for a softer, freer shape. In some cases, though, it is better to leave it on — especially if the vase is wide or you want to keep the bouquet’s original line as your florist designed it.
Do not leave flowers out of water for too long
Different flowers respond differently, so there is no single time limit that applies to every bouquet. But the principle is simple: the sooner flowers are back in water after delivery, the better.
Hydrangeas, lilac, and some spring branches are especially sensitive to drying out. Once the bouquet is unwrapped, it is best to settle it into water without delay.
Do you need to trim the stems right away
If the bouquet was delivered in water and still looks fresh and well hydrated, there is no need to trim it immediately. The priority is simply to place it in the prepared vase as soon as possible.
After 2 to 3 days, when you change the water, it helps to refresh the cut slightly. Secateurs are better than household scissors because they make a cleaner cut and are less likely to crush the stem. Dull scissors can compress the stem tissue, making it harder for the flowers to drink.
A small angled cut is usually enough.
Why cool conditions matter
Flowers may love light in the garden, but once they are in a vase, they benefit much more from staying cool than from sitting in heat or strong sun.
Warm air, direct sunlight, and nearby heat sources all speed up opening and ageing. In a cooler room, flowers develop more slowly and tend to last longer. It is best to keep the bouquet away from radiators, the kitchen, candles, and bright sun.
Why fruit is not a good neighbour
A bowl of fruit beside a bouquet may look lovely, but it is not ideal for the flowers.
Many fruits release ethylene, a natural plant gas that speeds up ripening and ageing. For cut flowers, this can mean faster wilting, petal drop, or a shorter vase life. Apples, bananas, pears, peaches, and tomatoes are among the most common examples.
One last note
Flowers are precious because they are alive. And like anything alive, they respond to the world around them.
Even a very fresh bouquet may not last as long if it spends too much time out of water, travels in heat, sits in direct sun, or stays in a stuffy room for too long. That does not mean anything is wrong with the bouquet. It simply means cut flowers have their own natural comfort conditions.
In the end, good care is very simple: a clean vase, fresh water, Chrysal, cool placement, and a little attention every few days.
That is often all it takes for a bouquet to stay beautiful, airy, and alive in your home for longer.
