Flowers

Flowers:

Vamp(ire) Ian shared this great tip for keeping tulips straight in vases: simply add a penny to the vase. The metal of the penny reacts with the stems to keep them straighter longer. Using a metal vase will also do the trick.

Fresh Flowers:

An easy way to usher spring into your home is with a bouquet of fresh flowers. Here in NYC, nothing beats deli flowers, and we’re lucky that delis abound on nearly every corner (in fact, I got the flowers for our wedding at one!). If you don’t live someplace where deli flowers are cheap and easily found, check out grocery stores, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, etc., or make friends with your local florist. Here are some tips we’ve picked up about how to arrange and care for bouquets:

• Get fresh flowers into water as soon as possible.

• Trim stems on the diagonal using a sharp kitchen knife (scissors can tear thicker stems).

• If you’re making a bouquet of all the same flowers and want them all the same length, measure each flower against the previous one before placing them in the vase, measuring them flower-to-flower. To measure the desired length, bring vase to the edge of your kitchen counter and hold the flower up to it at desired height. Trim off extra.

• If you’re making a bouquet and the flowers will be at different heights, it helps to have more than two hands. One person should hold the bouquet as you want it, and then the other person should trim the stems. You can wrap florist’s tape around the base to hold them together.

• Choose the right vase. This is totally up to what your preferences are, but in general, structured flowers (like roses or lilies with tough stems) should be placed in a vase that will hold their structure, usually with a smaller mouth. Looser flowers (like tulips) should go in vases with wider mouths that will let them fall.

• If you’re arranging a bouquet and need some help keeping flowers in place, use a floral frog or foam. These can be reused if stored properly.

• Keep daffodils separate from other flowers. The sap that comes from their stems is poisonous to most other flowers.

Vamp Katie sent me this great tip for keeping fresh-cut flowers fresher longer. I have read that a few drops of bleach will also help extend the flowers’ life, but I was always too nervous to try it with anything other than white flowers, should the bleach affect the color.

Vamp Katie’s mixture calls for adding two tablespoons of white vinegar and two tablespoons of sugar to a vase. Fill the vase with lukewarm water and stir until sugar dissolves. The vinegar acts to prevent mold and bacteria and the sugar gives a nutrient boost! Remember to always trim the stems right before adding them to water. Use sparing amounts of white vinegar on soft stemmed flowers (tulips, daffodils) as I’ve noticed they absorb it and take on a funny smell.