How to extend the life of your tulips

We’re a week into tulip season and it’s been a whirlwind, to say the least. “Social distancing” measures means that there have been many drop and go deliveries this week (and that’s understandable, certainly), but I do wish I could see my customers and tell them face to face how much I appreciate their orders!
With this new way of doing business (which is temporary, I hope), it also means I don’t get the opportunity to pass on a few tips about taking care of the flowers you’ve purchased. So, I thought I’d make my first blog post about just that. Read on to learn more about how to care for your tulips to ensure the longest vase life possible:

1) Provide fresh, cool water daily.

2) Re-cut the stems at a diagonal every few days; sometimes the stems can callous over which inhibits water uptake to the flower itself.

3) Keep tulips (or any cut flowers) away from direct sunlight and sources of heat.

4) Keep tulips away from ripening fruits and veggies; they produce ethylene, which ages your blooms faster.

5) Pull any spent blooms as they age, and instead of tossing in the garbage feed to your compost instead.

Tulips generally have an excellent vase life (and don’t require “flower food” as some cut flowers do). Some of the tulip varieties grown here this spring will last more than a week in the vase with proper care, and some will even triple in size as they age. Enjoy, flower friends!

Liisa