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5 Techniques to Keep Cut Peonies Fresher and Longer

 Techniques to Keep Cut Peonies 



Enjoy these beautiful flowers for longer with our tips and tricks. A bouquet of large, beautiful, spring-blooming peonies always brightens a room. We like to place them in a vase so that we can enjoy the beautiful textures and vibrant colors of the flowers. Whether harvested from your cutting garden or purchased at your favorite florist, here's how to keep cut peonies fresh longer for maximum enjoyment. Peonies are surprisingly long-lasting—if they're given proper care. Plus, we've got some bonus tips to encourage the buds to open faster.


1. Buy Peony Buds



A tip to make peonies last longer is to buy or harvest them while they are still in bud form. Don't be afraid to gently touch the buds before buying—if they're soft (think the texture of a marshmallow), that means they're close to opening. Avoid anything that feels hard (like marble) as they may not be developed enough to open once picked. Buds are not always beautiful, minor imperfections such as small brown spots are normal. If you're picking backyard peonies, go outside in the morning to look for buds. If you wait until later in the day, the flowers are more likely to open by then.


2. DIY flower food


If you've lost that little packet of food that came with your flowers, don't fret. To make your cut flowers last longer, you can make your own by adding a spoonful of regular granulated sugar to the water. This helps keep the flowers fresh by mimicking the sugar rush that occurs during photosynthesis. Be sure to change the water every couple of days, as mixing in sugar can encourage the growth of bacteria.


3. Keep peonies cool



As with many fresh flowers, keeping peonies in the refrigerator overnight will help them last longer. But you can take the trick a step further. One technique to keep cut peonies fresh longer is to cut them when the buds are tender, wrap them in the newspaper, and store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them. They won't open in the fridge and can be preserved for an extra day or two if you need them for a garden party or gathering.


4. Avoiding ants on peonies


If you are collecting peonies from a garden, beware of unwanted insects that may make a home in your flowers. Ants and peonies have a particularly bad relationship. Insects are attracted to the nectar that the buds release when they open. Place the cut peony stems in water and leave them out for 20-30 minutes.


5. Cut the stems at an angle



For maximum water absorption, cut your peony stems at an angle. This trick increases the surface area of the cut, helping the flowers absorb more water and nutrients. Do this every day to help remove any blockages at the base of the stems.


Bonus: How to Unlock Peonies Fast


You throw a party and buy or cut peonies that are still in bud form. It's the day before your party and the buds haven't bloomed yet - what do you do? To speed up the process, cut the stems and place them directly in warm water. Place the flowers, vase, and all, in a warm spot in direct sunlight and check on them occasionally. Once they start to open, you can move them wherever you want.



With our advice on how to keep cut peonies fresher for longer, you can hang on to hanging flowers for as long as possible. Each of these five tips should extend the life of your cut peonies by at least a few days. And if you want them to last even longer, be sure to plant peonies in your garden this year so you can enjoy them for a whole season!

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