Easy Ways to Make Cut Sunflowers Last Longer in a Vase

A bouquet of cut sunflowers can easily brighten up a room. However, most sunflower bouquets will only last a short time in a vase before they begin to wilt. That is, unless you know how to correctly prep your flowers and vase before you arrange a bouquet. Here are 10 tips to make your sunflowers look fresher and last longer in a vase.

1. Choose Flowers Without Pollen

Whether you plan to grow or buy sunflowers, consider choosing pollenless sunflowers to display in a vase. Pollenless sunflower varieties typically last up to 14 days in a vase, which is four days longer than pollen-filled branching varieties. Since they don’t spend their energy on making seeds, the plants direct all of their energy towards producing strong stems and long-lasting flowers. They also have stiff, straight necks and are less likely to stir up your allergies.

2. Select the Freshest Flowers

Fresh sunflowers will last longer in a vase and have the most vibrant display. You can determine a sunflower's freshness by looking at the bloom’s center. The freshest blooms will have no visible pollen, and the center should be dark and tight. Slightly unopened sunflower blooms will last longer in a vase than fully open blooms. Harvest sunflowers from your flower garden as soon as the first petal on a bloom starts to lift off the central disk. 

3. Harvest Flowers in the Morning or Evening

Prepping sunflowers for a vase starts the moment they're snipped from the garden. Cut the flowers in the early morning or in the evening when their stems are firm and hydrated. Flowers are likely to lose more water if they’re cut in bright sunlight or during the hottest part of the day. Use clean pruning shears to make your cuts, then put your fresh-cut stems immediately in a bucket of water.

4. Cut the Stems

Help your flowers last longer by recutting their stems at a 45-degree angle as soon as you bring them inside. This creates a larger surface area on the stem, which allows the flower to take up more water. Be sure to leave at least 24 inches of stem on the flowerhead. Place the flowers in a bucket of water immediately after trimming them, and let the flowers soak up the water for a few hours before you place them in a vase. 

5. Remove Leaves Below the Waterline

It’s essential to remove any leaves on the stem that will be submerged in water. Leaves that are underwater can encourage bacteria, cloud the water, cause odors, and decrease your flower stem’s ability to take up water. 

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