We love the beauty of holiday flowers and gift baskets, but we also hate the fact that they may not last as long as we’d like. If you’ve received a flower arrangement or fruit and flower gift basket for the holidays already, you can do more than rely on luck that the gift will last until Christmas day – instead, follow these tips to help maintain the beauty of your floral arrangements for as long as possible.

1. One of the first things you should do as soon as you receive a bouquet or cut flower arrangement is to trim the stems, getting rid of any part that is dry or damaged. Use a sharp pair of scissors and submerging the stems in water, cut about 2 centimetres from each on a diagonal. It’s also important to remove any leaves or branches that would remain under water once you put the arrangement in the vase.

If the flowers are included with a gift basket, they can be left alone since they usually have a source of water attached to the stems. Just make sure the water level is high enough.

2. Make sure that the vase or container you put the flowers in is filled with fresh water, preferably much colder than room temperature. Change the water once a day, or more if it looks dirty.

3. Florists keep most of their stock in a walk-in fridge for a reason. Cut flowers stay fresher longer when kept in cooler temperatures. The environment should be at around 5 degrees Celsius (optimum temperatures vary for different flowers).

But come on, let’s be realistic. Nobody is going to keep their bouquet of flowers in the fridge. They’re meant to be displayed for the pleasure of the recipient.  A good way to maintain freshness without using the fridge is by placing arrangements out of direct sunlight or away from heat-producing objects, like appliances and vents.

Flowers that are related to Christmas time and Christmas gift giving are notoriously difficult to bloom when you want them to. Take the poinsettia, for example.

Poinsettias have become synonymous with Christmas, and it’s not the green leaves we admire. Unfortunately, even seasoned gardeners admit that these plants can be exceptionally hard to rebloom at the right time the following year. While it’s probably easier to just buy another one, you can try getting the poinsettias you have to bloom on time for your Christmas get togethers by following these tips:

1. At this time of year, make sure to expose your poinsettias to bright light at a temperature of about 21C  during the day. From 4:30-5:00pm to about 8 in the morning, keep the plant in total darkness at a temperature of about 19C. This will adequately help the bracts (leaves) to start developing that lush and lovely red colour.

2. Once you see that the bracts are starting to develop their colour, expose them to bright light 8 hours a day, maintaining the same temperature as before. They no longer have to be in total darkness at night, so leave them in a bright spot well isolated from drafts.

3. Don’t overwater or expose the plant to dramatic temperature changes and drafts. This can cause serious harm. Poinsettias only need enough water to moisten the soil, not soak it.

It might be too late to get your poinsettias to bloom in time for holiday festivities, but it won’t hurt to try!

And while we’re talking about poinsettias, pictured is our Festive Poinsettia Christmas Gift Basket, a bountiful box of goodies that appeals to the sweet and savory tooth. Like the decorative box?