This summer, another heatwave swept across the country, and we all had to make sure that we looked after ourselves and each other during the high temperatures.

We also had to give extra TLC to our floral friends, who suffer greatly in hot weather. Now the days are getting colder, we’re all acclimatising to the change in weather – but how do you look after your flowers when the temperature drops?

Below we look at our top care tips for flowers in autumn:

1. Give your blooms fresh, lukewarm water

   Use fresh, room temperature water so that you don’t shock the blooms, and change it every 2-3 days.

2. Keep them away from heat sources

   Dry heat from radiators, central heating, ovens and even (if it gets cold enough to use them!) fireplaces can shorten your flowers’ lifespan. Keep your flowers away from items that generate warmth so that they aren’t experiencing their own little heatwave!

3. Keep temperatures consistent

   Flowers do well when temperatures are consistent. As well as being susceptible to heat, draughts and changing temperatures can cause them to wilt. We recommend keeping your blooms at 18-19°C to help them live longer.

4. Don’t place flowers by windows

   To keep your bouquets at a consistent temperature, ideally don’t put them by a window as this is the chilliest part of the house. However, if you do want to place your flowers by the window, make sure no part of the plant touches the glass as this can cause it to wilt overnight from the cold!

5. Keep flowers away from fruit

   Keep your bouquet away from the fruit bowl; as fruit ripens, it releases ethylene gas which speeds up wilting. You can read more about this phenomenon here.

6. Remember regular flower care

   To help your bouquet last as long as possible, cut the stems at a 45-degree angle before you arrange flowers in the vase and every time you change the water.
   
   Make sure to pluck any leaves from below the water, and remove any dying blooms from the vase as soon as you notice them.
   
   With proper care, your blooms will last even longer than our 7-day freshness guarantee! You can find our lovely range of flowers and gifts at bunches.co.uk