Flower Care Tips

How to Care for Your Farm-Fresh Tulips

Tulips are unique because they continue to grow in the vase (sometimes up to an inch or more!). Follow these simple steps to get the longest life out of your locally grown blooms.

1. Start with a Clean Slate

Before you move your tulips from the bucket to a vase, make sure your vessel is "squeaky clean." Bacteria is the enemy of fresh flowers. Use a vase that has been washed with soap and water to ensure a long life for your stems.

2. The "Fresh Cut" Rule

Give your tulips a fresh snip before putting them in water. Use sharp floral snips or kitchen shears. This opens up the "straws" in the stem, allowing them to hydrate immediately.

3. Cold Water is Best

Unlike many other flowers, tulips prefer cold, fresh water. Fill your vase about halfway. If the water starts to look cloudy, change it immediately! Fresh water every 2 days can extend your vase life by nearly a week.

4. Location Matters

To keep your tulips from wilting or "blowing open" too quickly, keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources (like sunny windowsills or radiators). They also don't like to be near ripening fruit, which releases gases that make flowers age faster.

5. The "Tulip Lean"

Don't be alarmed if your tulips move! Tulips are phototropic, meaning they grow and stretch toward the light. If they start to lean too much, simply rotate your vase or give them a quick trim to straighten them up.

Pro-Tip: If your tulips look a little thirsty or "floppy" when you get them home, wrap them tightly in a cone of paper and place them in a tall vase of cold water for a few hours. They will "drink" themselves upright and be stiff and strong by morning!