How to Keep Tulips From Wilting
The tulip season is coming. And if you enjoy decorating your home with fresh, seasonal flowers, you might be wondering how you can keep your next purchase of tulips upright. Because while these colorful light bulbs are known for lighting up any room, they are also known for being prone to fading. While some drooping is inevitable—flowers are heavy and gravity is strong—here are some tips to help them stay fresh and cheerful longer.
Choose young tulips
Many want to enjoy fully opened flowers right away, but if you want them to last longer, your best bet is to buy closed, firm buds, some of which are still on the green side and showing no signs of browning.
Trim (and recut) stems at an angle
Did you know that tulips continue to grow for several days after being cut? That’s why it’s important to cut the stems at an angle so they absorb water better. Re-cut the stems an additional 1/2 inch every two to three days to ensure maximum water absorption. At the same time, fill their vase with fresh, cold water and remove any excess leaves at the base of the stem below water level, as they can rot and grow bacteria, which will hasten the death of the tulip itself.
Keep them out of direct sunlight
Tulips are light-loving, and through a process called phototropism, they lean towards the source of sunlight. Keep them in areas with diffused light, or rotate the vase periodically so they don’t get used to leaning in one direction to absorb light. (They should also not be exposed to heat.)
Use a narrow vase
Tulip stems are soft and flexible. Naturally, they will stand more upright if they cannot stretch out in a wide-mouthed vessel. Support the stems by placing them in a tall, narrow vase for best results.
Insert a pin into the stem
To help them stand taller, poke a hole with a pin or safety pin in each stem, right at the base of the flower. According to gardener Daisy Payne , this helps because tulips have hollow stems. Usually, when they hit water, air bubbles rise up the stem, blocking water from reaching the flower head. Payne says : “The hole next to the flower head serves as an outlet for the air bubble, thereby keeping the hollow block of the stem free.”
Vodka, pennies and carbonated drinks
While we couldn’t find an expert scientific explanation to back this up, old wives’ tales say that a drop of vodka, copper from an old penny, and the acidity and sugar of a lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7Up can also add new life. to those curving petals. Leave these anecdotal methods as a last resort.