The best way to care for your tulips

Step 1: Recut your tulip stems

The first step to a long-lasting and beautiful bouquet of tulips is to recut your tulip stems. Cut the stems at least a half an inch from bottom using a sharp knife or scissors. We recommend cutting the stems at an angle. This raises them off the bottom of the vase and allows the stems to absorb more water.

Step 2: Leave the sleeve on!

The majority of tulip bunches come wrapped in a protective sleeve. It’s human nature to want to get home and tear it off, but you should actually keep it on! First, fill a vase 1/3 full with clean room temperature tap water. Then place your tulip bunch in the vase with the sleeve on. This will prevent the stems from drooping and provide the necessary support as the stems stiffen up.

Note: As tulips continue to grow after being cut you may still see some slight bending. This is a natural occurrence in tulips called geotropic bending.

Step 3: Maintain your arrangement

Let your tulips sit in their vase overnight with the sleeve still on. The next morning it’s time to arrange them! Cut off the protective sleeve and position each tulip until you are happy with your display. Over the next week, try not to move or rearrange the flowers too much, as this will also cause them to droop. To extend the life of your tulips, place them in the fridge overnight and add fresh water every couple of days.

Casey’s Top Tips

• Keep your tulips out of direct sunlight and store them in a cool location away from drafts

• Remove any lower tulip leaves that may get submerged in the water

• Avoid getting the petals wet – it could cause them to mold

• If tulips are still drooping, thread floral wire around the stems of the tulips to provide support

• Floral preservative can be added to the water but is not necessary

• Tulips like to grow in a tall, slender vase