How to keep sunflowers in the vase

Would you like a wonderful bouquet of sunflowers? We'll tell you what you need to do to make the wonderful summer feeling last as long as possible.

With a sunflower bouquet the term «summertime» gets a completely different meaning. Here are some tips to make sure that the sunflowers in the vase last as long as possible:

Sunflowers from the garden should be cut early in the morning on a rain-free day. Choose flowers that are only slightly, but not fully open.
Use a clean, sharp knife (not scissors). The cut surface should be long and smooth for good water absorption.
After cutting, remove the leaves up to the top 1-2 rows right on the spot to reduce evaporation by the large leaves.

Fill hot water into a bucket and hold the ends of the stems for a few minutes at a depth of about 10 cm. Air that has penetrated the stems will escape and the water absorption will be improved.
Choose a clean vase that is sufficiently high and stable and place the sunflowers in cool to lukewarm water. The stems should be placed in water up to about halfway.
Put floral preservative to the water and do not use sugar or similar instead. The latter accelerates decay.
Find a location that is as cool and draught-free as possible.
When choosing a location, avoid exposure to direct sunlight, proximity to air conditioning or fruit, or behind windows. If the sunflower bouquet is outside, place it in the lee of the wind (otherwise it will dry out).

Since sunflowers bloom in summer, they need a certain amount of care. Cut the stems every two days, change the vase water daily and clean the vase thoroughly.