It’s an anniversary, a birthday, or “just because,” and a loved one sent you the most beautiful bouquet of flowers you’ve ever seen!!

 

They start out like this…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…but end up like this in almost 2 weeks or less

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How in the world can this be put to a halt, or at least make them keep their beauty for just a little bit longer? Blogger and editor Emily Abbate has a few tricks up her sleeves to pass along for flower lovers (or flower likers) as yourself:

Put your flowers in water ASAP: Once you trim the stems of your bouquet on a diagonal angle, immediately place the flowers into water.

Aspirin: This one’s new to me. Simply crush up an aspirin and put it into the water before adding in your fresh flowers.

Hairspray: Just like your strands, flowers will stand taller if you give them a quick spritz to stay put. Reader’s Digest suggests standing about a foot away and spraying the bouquet on the undersides of the petals and leaves.

Don’t overcrowd your bouquet: You want to make sure that air can circulate between each of the buds. If you use a vase that’s too small, the flowers won’t be able to breathe and may become bruised.

Use a little soda: Pour about a quarter cup of soda into your water to make your flowers last longer. For aesthetic reasons, I would choose something on the clearer side like seltzer or Sprite.