How long do tulips last? This is a problem many tulip lovers have asked while viewing a fresh-cut bunch of delicate-looking blooms.

Have you ever received a happy bundle of fresh tulips and thought, “These are beautiful, but how long can I keep them that way?” The quick answer is to cut tulips so that they can last up to ten days; you must know how to care for them correctly. Here are some tips and methods for keeping cut tulips look young and alive for as long as feasible.

Tulip Basic Care

It is always a great idea to start with the basics. If you do nothing else to care for your young cut tulips, follow these steps:

  1. Begin with a clean jar.
  2. Fill the vase ⅓ full of room heat water.
  3. Add either packaged or homemade flower food.
  4. Trim the stems at a 45-degree angle.
  5. Thoroughly remove any leaves that will sit under the water.
  6. Repeat the steps mentioned above daily.

When to Buy

Whether you are buying tulips for yourself or someone else, look for flowers that are just about to open up. You will know that they’re just fit if the flowers are still covered, but it’s easy to see what color they’re going to be when they open up.

Vase Selection

The vase you choose may seem insignificant, but because tulips tend to droop, you will want to select a supportive container. Try to select a container that is big and doesn’t curve outwards. This way, your tulips will be held and will not fall over the sides of the container. Of course, some people prefer the look of tulips draping elegantly over the edge of a bowl. In this case, just feel free to use a larger vessel.

Choose Vase-Mates Wisely

If you think that your tulips would look extra bright alongside some cheery daffodils, think again. Those sweet, innocent-looking daffodils have a bit of a hidden side. They come from the narcissus family of plants, which let off a muddy sap that will block the tulip stems from taking up the water they need to stay lively.

Avoid Heat

If you study ‘how long do tulips last in a vase,’ you’ll likely come across news about keeping them out of the sun and away from warmth. Tulips will bend towards the sunlight. Even when placed in indirect sunlight, you may need to turn the vase from time to time to keep your flowers right. Keeping them away from heating vents and drafty areas is also a great idea.

Help Them Out

If your tulips don’t seem to be absorbing up their freshwater, you may need to give them a helping hand, even with the proper stem trimming. Try putting a pin through the stem just under the top. The hole allows air to leave, which should help your flowers drink up the water.

Fruity Foes

You may have tried this general tip about cut flowers, but if you study specifically ‘how long do tulips last,’ you might miss this critical bit of data.

Keeping cut flowers away from fresh fruit is crucial to extending your blooms’ life, and it is particularly vital with tulips—fruit that’s growing lets off ethylene gas, which will break down your flowers quicker. Tulips are especially vulnerable to gas.

Old Wives’ Tale?

There is much discussion over this trick, so take it with a grain of salt. Some tulip fans insist that adding a penny to the jar of water will keep your flowers more active. It’s the copper that’s delivered from the penny that keeps the blooms upright. It may be worth a try.

Having tulips around is a friendly reminder that spring has arrived, but the blooms seem so dangerous. If you love them and are still investigating how long tulips last in a vase, do not hesitate to ask CedarHouse. One of the best things to do here is to start with the very fresh tulips. CedarHouse cuts flowers to ship on the day the order is placed. That way, there is no loss, and you will get the absolute best flowers.