Preserving sunflowers in a vase

Sunflowers also look good in a vase. There are a few things to keep in mind so that you can enjoy it longer.

Sunflowers, freshly cut from the cottage garden, are eye-catchers in floor vases or clay jugs. The joy is often spoiled all too quickly when the flowers droop. Opinions are divided on extending shelf life. Scalding the stalks with hot water or constantly cutting them fresh are just a few ways to keep one of the last splashes of color of summer for as long as possible.

When is the best time to prune sunflowers?

So that sunflowers last as long as cut flowers, the right time for the flower cut is also important.

If you grow flowers in your own garden, it is easy to follow these tips:

Sunflowers should be cut on a rainy day.
The best pruning time is early morning.
The flower heads should not be fully open yet.
Sunflowers are cut with a sharp knife instead of scissors.
A smooth and clean cut surface favors the water absorption of the cut flower.
The leaves at the lower ends of the stem are removed. They evaporate too much water.

Where should the flower vase be placed?

Even if the plant name suggests that sunflowers prefer to be in the sun, a position in full sun should be avoided. Furthermore, a stand near air conditioning systems is unfavorable.

Do not place the sunflower directly behind the window pane and avoid placing the bouquet next to the fruit basket.

Tip: If the sunflowers are to decorate balconies and terraces, they should be set up in the lee. Otherwise the flowers will dry out quickly.

What else needs to be considered with sunflowers as cut flowers?

To improve the water absorption of sunflowers, the stem ends should be immersed in hot water for a few minutes after cutting. The stem should exchange about ten centimeters.

Sunflowers need a sturdy, tall vase. The vessel is filled with cold to lukewarm waterfilled. The stalks should come in contact with water about halfway up.

Tip: Don't experiment with sugar or other home remedies to keep cut flowers fresh. Sugar accelerates the rotting process of sunflowers.

You can extend the shelf life by changing the water daily and clipping the stems every two to three days. Make sure that there are no leaves or other foreign objects in the vessel and that the flower vase is always clean. This keeps the water germ-free and the sunflowers stay fresh for longer.

And what do the experts think? 3 opinions!

1. Sunflowers must not absorb too much water

Proponents of this thesis are convinced that the sunflower should be prevented from soaking up water too quickly and letting its head hang in the process.

This is said to be achieved by immersing the stems in boiling hot water for a few seconds. By scalding the plant fibers at the interface, the water absorption should be inhibited. Some experts also believe that sunflower stems are less susceptible to rot after this treatment.

2. Tap water and preservative are sufficient

Experts from the horticultural college in Geisenheim, on the other hand, are of the opinion that cool tap water to which conventional preservative is added keeps sunflowers fresh for longer.

Scalding is considered superfluous. In the test, the scalded stems even withered a few days earlier, which is due to the faster decomposition of the plant parts.

3. Fresh water daily

Some plant lovers swear by increasing the shelf life of cut flowers simply by changing the water every day. You do without the addition of preservative.

Some users have had good experiences putting a copper coin or some mild detergent in the flower water.

How long do sunflowers last in a vase?

Sunflowers kept in plain tap water last about seven to ten days. With the addition of preservative, the plant experts were able to enjoy the flowers for three to four days longer.

Try out the measures mentioned and pay attention to the right location and thatsuitable container for your favorite flowers, sunflowers should look good in the vase between ten days and two weeks.