How to Keep Flower Centerpieces Longer

Unlike a bouquet, the flowers in an arrangement are placed in floral foam that has been previously soaked in water, which makes it more practical when using it, for example, as a centerpiece, but what should we do to take care of this flower arrangement and make it last longer?

Follow the tips we've compiled from florist experts to enjoy your flower arrangements for longer and give them the best care.

Flower Center or Bouquet?

In both cases, your florist will use cut flowers that require special care.

Unlike a bouquet, a floral composition or centerpiece is made in a specific medium, floral foam.

This foam can be placed in a vase, in a pot, in a glassware, in a container of various shapes or used alone to cover foliage, for example. Unlike a bouquet of flowers, an arrangement will not be permanently submerged in water. But the flowers will still need a lot of moisture.

Floral foam, the best ally of your flowers

In simple terms, floral foam is almost identical to the inside of a flower stem, meaning a spongy texture that retains and absorbs water. This light and porous material also has a neutral pH so that the acidity associated with the environment of the flowers remains at its optimum level.

Invented in 1954 by the Smithers-Oasis company, floral foam has completely revolutionized the business of florists, allowing them to create original shapes such as round centerpieces, mourning crosses, baskets, hearts, etc. Floral foam has also helped to increase the life of arrangements by providing a reliable and effective source of moisture, as the material can retain a significant amount of water.

How to keep flower arrangements longer

Before creating the design, your florist has carefully prepared the foam so that the flowers have all the nutrients and water they need.

This is done in a large, deep container, like a bucket, filled with tap water and the specific cut flower preservative for the floral foam. This food will increase the life of your floral center by more than 30% compared to hydration with water alone. This is because the floral foam preservative will allow for high water absorption, prevent runoff, make cutting easier, and hold the stems in place.

The only thing to do at home once received the flower arrangement is to remember add a little water from the faucet at room temperature every day or twodepending on the size of the arrangement, the season of the year, the conditions or the exposure.

There is no need to re-add preservative as the amount used by your florist is sufficient and will diffuse for several days with the addition of moisture.

tip: To easily add water to your arrangement, use a small watering can and pour the water from the center up.

Remember also remove the flowers or cshoots that may wilt. You don't need to cut the stems like you would for a bouquet, as your florist has already cut the stems over a wide area to give them a good hold and the perfect conditions to absorb water and nutrients. Don't be surprised, some flowers may continue to grow and therefore protrude slightly.

To summarize, here are the five things you can do to make your flower arrangement last longer:

• Do not put it near a heat source
• Add water every day or every other day
• Remove flowers that are going to wither
• If you can, put it in a cool place at night
• Some flowers will remain longer, you can also replace those that have been damaged with fresh flowers, this will extend the life of your arrangement.

Bonus: How to prepare floral foam at home

If you want to try creating a flower arrangement, here are some useful tips

Fill a large container with water, carefully place your floral foam piece on top, and voila! Let it fill itself and slowly sink to the bottom of the water.

The most impatient press on it to submerge it faster, but this is a very bad idea, as it will create an air pocket in the center of the foam. The stems that get trapped in this air pocket will unfortunately not have any water.

When the floral foam is ready, it will change color and become darker. The soaking time will depend on the size of your foam, but on average, for standard pieces, it should take around fifteen minutes.

Then carefully remove the foam and place it directly in its container. Make sure the container is big enough before you start. If you use a non-waterproof basket or container, place a piece of plastic in the bottom beforehand to prevent water from draining.