How to Care for a Cut Lily Bouquet

A vase full of fresh cut lilies freshens and adds beauty to any space. The life of the flowers is prolonged if they are cared for properly. Selecting a good spot for the vase and providing the flowers with the right amount of nutrients are necessary to keep them looking their best for as long as possible. Caring for cut lilies properly also encourages unopened buds to flower before the bouquet must be discarded.

Scissors
Vase
Cut-flower food

Instructions

- 1
  Use a pair of sharp scissors to cut the bottom off each lily stem.
- 2
  Strip all leaves from the bottom of the stems, so that they aren't submerged in water when the flowers are added to the vase.
- 3
  Fill a vase with water, to within 3 inches of its rim, and add a packet of cut-flower food.
- 4
  Place the lilies into the prepared water, submerging the ends of all stems.
- 5
  Place the vase in a location protected from heat and direct sunlight.
- 6
  Add water to the vase each day to maintain the original level.
- 7
  Snip off faded blooms as needed and remove any plant material that drops into the water.
- 8
  Remove the bottom 1 inch of each stem on the third day.
- 9
  Fill the vase with fresh water and another packet of cut-flower food on the fourth day.

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