Caring for Cut Hydrangeas

Hi Everyone! I love Hydrangea flowers, but do you ever buy them from the store and the next day they are all shriveled. That has happened to me so many times, I was about to give up on buying them. After doing some research and testing, I found a full proof way to keep them alive. My hydrangeas will last up to three weeks.

The first thing you do is cut the stems of the flower on a 45 degree angle.

After the first cut, you are going to cut the center of the stem, about 1/2” to 1”. Doing this will help the flower get more water.

This is what the cut will look like. Make sure you use cutting shears for the garden. The Hydrangea has a thick woody stem.

After the second cut, you are going to submerge the flowers in cold water. I fill my sink up with water, and make sure that there is enough water to cover the Hydrangeas. Let the flowers submerge in the water for 1 to 2 hours.

Take the flowers out of the water and pat dry them with paper towels. Fill your pitcher or vase with water and add flower food or the spice Alum. I have never used Alum, but I’ve heard several people say it works. You can find the spice in the spice isle of the grocery store.

That’s all, it seems like a lot of work, but so worth it. If your flowers seem a little droopy, you can do this process all over again. There is a good chance the flowers will perk back up. Your Hydrangeas should bring you joy for weeks to come.

Let me know if you tried this trick.