Making the most of your cut flowers

Tuesday 14th April 2009, 8:00AM BST.

Spring is a wonderful time of year for filling your home with flowers, so we’ve assembled a useful selection of expert tips from The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Centre on making your cut flowers last longer, as well as how to plant your summer bulbs.

Making the most of cut tulips: Tulips have a vase life of just over a week, so it’s best to buy flowers that are in bud but have a little colour showing.

After purchasing cut tulips, cut off any white portion of the stem to allow better water intake. To prevent the intake of air into the stems, cut them under the water. Place them immediately into a vase filled with water and fresh flower food.

Ensure that any foliage from the part of the stem that will be under water is removed, and check the water in the vase frequently – for a cut tulip, the secret to long life is lots of fresh water.

One final tip – to straighten bent tulips, wrap the stems tightly in damp newspaper, secure with an elastic band and stand them in deep, lukewarm water with light directly above them, then leave them for a couple of hours.