How to keep your flowers fresh in the heatwave

Want to know how to keep your flowers fresh? This week Britain is set to reach some of the highest temperatures for more than 100 years; with the whole nation on heatwave alert preparing for the country to hit 30C.

Whilst a whole host of advice is available to mere mortals on how to cope in the heat; flowers will suffer too, and with this in mind tech-first florists Bloom & Wild (opens in new tab) have prepared five easy tips to keep flowers fresh this week and for the rest of Summer.

Visit our dedicated advice page for more how to guides, DIY projects and care and cleaning tips

How to keep your flowers fresh

1. Place stems in tepid or lukewarm water as they will enjoy this more and absorb the water more quickly than cold, keeping your flowers hydrated!

2. In this heat, trim 5cm from the base of the stem to remove any blockages and creating a new permeable drinking area. Don't forget to always cut at an angle to increase the surface area.

3. Bacteria breeds within dirty vases, and the heat welcomes this breeding! Make sure you clean your vases really thoroughly with anti-bacterial wash to sterilise them. Don’t leave any leaves or bits in your water, only perfectly trimmed stems. Bits of greenery and leaves will rot in the water, especially in the heat and breed bacteria that will shorten the life of your flowers.

4. Keep flowers as cool as possible. Changes in temperature can make blooms die quicker, i.e. a room with sun that moves around the room can have a negative effect. The sun also evaporates the water in your blooms and stems, so keep them out of direct sunlight.

5. Choose a wider neck vase than the width of the flowers, which allows air around the stems and prevents mould building.

We hope you manage to keep your flowers fresh with this helpful guide.