Over the weekend I picked up some hydrangeas at Trader Joe’s. I just love them, but every single time I buy them, half of them die within 24 hours. I honestly never thought to Google or ask my Instagram friends what the hell to do.
To be honest, I just assumed they were stupid flowers that were finicky. Which turns out, they are. But I finally asked YOU my followers and readers for tips and you all came through. Within a few hours, my hydrangeas went from wilting sad flowers to fluffy flowers again.
How To Bring Back Wilting Hydrangeas
The first thing I learned about hydrangeas is that their stems are very waxy and woody making it very difficult for water to get into them. They’re also a very thirsty flower and drink A LOT. Also, the flowers of the hydrangeas also drink up water! Who knew. So with those two things in mind, here’s how you can bring back your hydrangea flowers.
Soak The Stems In Hot Water
Since the stems are waxy it can be hard for water to get into them after you cut. So soaking them in hot water, yes, boil water and put it in a big vase and let them soak, will help to remove that wax buildup. Just make sure to leave space so that the steam doesn’t wilt the entire flower itself.
A big bucket works for this too. Leave them in there for a few hours after you do your 45 degree angle cut on the stem (and always below or above a node, not through one!).
Dunk The Whole Flower In Water
Yup, it’s true, it works. Take your entire stem, flower and all, and dunk it in warm water for about an hour. Since hydrangeas soak up water through the flower, soaking them allows them to drink up water and come back to life. You can fill up your sink with warm water and soak everything in there.
Lots Of Fresh Water
These flowers drink LOTS of water so make sure to add water to your vase every single day. You may also want to use a clear vase so you can keep an eye on the water levels.
Add A Penny, Sprite or Aspirin
So many tips on what to put IN the water. From a penny to Sprite or aspirin, these all are supposed to help perk them up. My friend who’s a wedding planner said she uses Sprite all the time day of weddings to get flowers looking their best.
