How Often Should You Change Your Fresh-Cut Flowers’ Water?

For optimal longevity, you should change the water of your fresh-cut flowers every two to three days.

An extra step lets you enjoy your arrangements longer. petrenkod/Getty Images/TNS

From ranunculus to roses, dahlias to daisies—fresh bouquets of flowers are a staple in many homes during the spring and summer months. Once you’ve put out your carefully curated arrangement, you want to show it off—and it’s always a disappointment when your blooms start drooping earlier than expected. To avoid this, experts say it’s all about keeping them fresh and changing the water regularly.

But how regularly: Is it a daily job? Weekly? To get the answer and other expert tips for keeping your flowers hydrated and making them last as long as possible, we asked two professional florists for their top tips.

Refresh the Water Every Few Days

According to Gracie Poulson, co-founder of California-based Grace Rose Farm and author of “Garden Roses: The Complete Guide to Growing and Arranging Spectacular Blooms,” the general rule for water changes is simple. For optimal longevity, you should change the water of your fresh-cut flowers every two to three days.

That said, if the water starts to look cloudy or dirty before the two- to three-day mark, you should definitely change it earlier. Dirty water is one of the first signs that bacteria is growing in your vase, which can drastically shorten the life of your bouquet, J.P. Varvarigos, a third-generation florist and owner of Florida-based Wellington Florist, said. He recommends that you remove the flowers, dump out the dirty water, and wash out the vase thoroughly before refilling it with fresh water to clear out any active bacteria.

Don’t Worry About Keeping Flowers on Varying Schedules

If you have one bouquet of baby’s breath and another of hydrangeas, you don’t have to worry about putting them on a different schedule. The recommendation for the frequency of water changes doesn’t vary based on the flower species, Ms. Poulson said. However, you can do a few things to ensure they stay fresh for as long as possible.

“Alongside changing the water for your flowers every couple of days, you should be cutting the ends of your stems,” she said. “This allows for greater water uptake, and the more water your flowers can ‘drink,’ the longer and healthier their vase life will be.”

Another pro tip: Remove any foliage on a stem’s lower part before placing the bouquet in the water.

“Foliage in the water is a big no-no,” Mr. Varvarigos said. “Always remove any leaves from below the water line—they instantly start decomposing and causing bacterial growth.”

Keep the Water Level High

Even more important than changing the water every few days is always providing your flowers with enough to drink. Fresh-cut flowers are thirsty and can go through the water quickly, so your vase should be topped off at all times.

“The most important thing is to maintain a high water level even if you do not re-cut the stems or change the water completely,” Mr. Varvarigos said. “Stems not touching the water will kill your flowers, and there’s no coming back [from that].”

However, there’s one slight exception to this rule: Certain flowers with soft, watery stems, such as tulips and calla lilies, do best with just a couple of inches of water in the vase at a time. This is because these flowers naturally hold lots of water in their stems and absorb it through the stem walls, not just the cut ends, according to Mr. Varvarigos. So, while you don’t want the stems left without any water, less is more with these types.

“Too much water can cause the stems to get waterlogged, split, and rot, which will make the water gross and kill them faster,” he said.

This may mean that more careful monitoring of your tulips and calla lilies, along with more frequent water top-ups, is required compared with other species with hardier stems.

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