So, you've been handed a bouquet this Valentine's Day. Maybe it came from a partner, a secret admirer, or your mother, because even she has realised your love life is wilting faster than fresh roses in April. Either way, congratulations! Now, the real challenge begins — keeping those flowers alive longer than the average Bangladeshi winter.
Because let's face it, flowers, much like relationships, require effort. If you neglect them, they'll droop, turn brown, and eventually crumble into dust — kind of like your willpower when you swore you'd go to the gym this year. But worry not! Here's how to make sure your floral token of love survives longer than the overpriced chocolate you also received.
Trim like you mean it
Your bouquet didn't want to be crammed into a vase like a weary intern at a multinational corporation about to pass out after a hard shift. Trim those stems at a 45-degree angle before you submerge them in the water. Why? Because flat-cut stems stay blocked sit at the bottom of the vase and unable to absorb what they need.
Ditch the leaves drowning in water
The same way you wouldn't drink a glass of water that contains floating debris, your flowers shouldn't have to. To avoid your bouquet becoming a bacterial swamp, remove any leaves that have submerged.
Use room-temperature water, not boiling tea
Lukewarm, room-temperature water is perfect. Too cold, and they go into shock; too warm, and they start wilting prematurely — kind of like you when you step outside into Dhaka's air and feel your lungs filing for early retirement.
The flower buffet: Feed them right
If you got one of those little flower food packets, use it. No flower food? DIY one! Mix sugar (energy boost), lemon juice (pH balancer), and a tiny drop of bleach (bacteria control), because just like our average street snack vendor, we must ensure some level of hygiene.
Change the water regularly
Every two days, chuck out the old water and replace it with fresh, clean water. Otherwise, your bouquet will start developing that distinct 'day-old biryani left out in the heat' aroma. Bacteria builds up, the stems clog, and before you know it, your roses are shrivelled up.
Keep them away from the 'killers'
Your flowers might be romantic, but they have a mortal enemy — ethylene gas. It's emitted by fruits (especially bananas and apples) and causes flowers to age faster than usual. So, unless you want your bouquet to shrivel up overnight, keep them away from the fruit bowl.
Cooler temperatures, please!
Valentine's bouquets prefer cool spaces. If your room is hot and humid, your flowers will suffer. For best results, put them in the fridge overnight. They'll last longer, just like your unrealistic resolutions about 'eating healthy.'
Emergency resuscitation for drooping flowers
If your flowers begin to wilt quicker than your ambition to finish the book you started in 2021, don't give up just yet. Recut the stems, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes, and watch them perk up.
With a little love and maintenance, it can last for weeks.
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