8 WAYS TO INCREASE THE LIFE IN YOUR FLOWERS

You just can't go wrong with a bunch of red roses for the special lady in your life. Tesco were lovely enough to send me over their Naomi red roses to wish me a happy (singles) Valentine's Day.

This online only deal is £50 and guarantees a dozen rich, red roses for your loved one. Teamed with the roses are lucious Alchemilla Mollis, which really add to the vibrancy of the flowers. Together with an included vase to put them in, these gorgeous flowers have been going for almost three weeks now and I'm stunned to see they have lasted that long; as they only state 8 days of life on the website!

Tesco's Head Florist, Michelle Buck has put together her 8 top tips for ensuring your flowers last that little bit longer this Valentine's Day. There is nothing worse than seeing the rich petals curling into a crispy brown mess! 

1. Trim your flowers

Once you have removed your flowers from their packaging, make sure to trim the bottom of the stems at a 45 degree angle and remove the lower leaves. Imagine it as a hair cut for them to be able to breathe! 

2. Use a clean vase

Vases can grow bacteria in them over time, so if you're not someone who usually has flowers in vases around the house, then it might be a good idea to give them a good wash out! Use soapy water or a little bleach for a deep cleanse.

3. Check for freshness

Always check that the water in the vase is fresh. You wouldn't want to drink the same water for 2 weeks, would you? So, treat your flowers right! 

4. Situate your flowers in the ideal place

You should place the vase of flowers in a place that doesn't contain direct sunlight. However, you don't want to put them in a gloomy room. Mine are on the kitchen table which has lots of natural sunlight without being directly next to the window. 

5. Keep away from fruit

Did you know that fruit gives off a chemical gas called Ethylene? This causes flowers to die quicker!

6. Keep your head up

If you have noticed your flowers are starting to bend slightly at the neck, this could mean that they have an airlock in their system. This can be fixed by trimming the stem again and placing into boiling water for 30 seconds. Re-cut the stem again as the water will have damaged the stem and place back into the fresh water in the vase. Voila!

7. Avoiding stains

To avoid stains from the stamens in lilies, simply remove the stamens before popping your flowers in their vase. If you have found the stamens are on your clothes, don't rub them away as they will stain for sure! Simply dust off with a piece of sellotape. 

8. Optionally use bleach 

Gerberas are prone to bacteria, so if you are lacking on food for flowers, you can use a tiny bit of bleach in the water which acts as a saviour for bacterial prone water. 

I made sure to follow all of Michelle's tips and my roses have lasted for almost 3 weeks. Impressive!

Disclaimer: In collaboration with Tesco.