How can I keep a bouquet of flowers longer?

Listening only to your instincts and Miley Cyrus, you've bought yourself some roses. Follow our tips and advice for keeping your bouquet of flowers long after Valentine's Day.

To have a chance of keeping your bouquet for several weeks, choose it carefully. If you're picking fresh flowers from your garden, you should also follow these rules.

Don't be seduced by blooming flowers showing off their colors. Their life expectancy has already begun. Nor should you go for buds that are too young and won't have a chance to blossom.

For bouquets of peonies, tulips, ranunculus and lilies, look for firm, colorful buds. For roses and sunflowers, opt for flowers that have barely opened. They'll bloom after a few hours or days in the vase.

Make an exception for daisies, dahlias and marigolds: the flowers stop developing after picking. They should be in full bloom when you take them home.

Just before giving you your bouquet, florists re-cut the stems. This helps the plants absorb water. If the florist hasn't done it, you'll have to do it yourself. Arm yourself with a clean, sharp knife and shorten the stem by two centimetres. Make a bevelled cut to prevent the end from stagnating in the water.

Shrub branches, such as lilac and forsythia, don't appreciate being cut. They prefer to have the base of their stems crushed. Poppies like to have their stems cauterized by briefly passing the end over the flame of a lighter.

To preserve your bouquets longer, remove the leaves at the bottom. They run the risk of bathing in water, falling into it and causing it to stagnate. Remove thorns from roses too, so they don't catch on other stems. On the other hand, we advise you to leave the ties that bind the flowers. They ensure that the arrangement remains in harmony.

In the absence of roots, your cut flowers don't need a pot with potting soil. What they need is a clean vase and clear water.

Your vase should be wide enough to allow air to circulate between the flowers. Its height depends on the type of flowers. If your bouquet is made up of varieties with thick, rigid stems, such as heliopsis and ranunculus, a height of half that of the stems is sufficient. If the stems are supple, like those of lilies or irises, a taller pot will help maintain the composition's habit.

Clean your container thoroughly to eliminate bacteria and micro-organisms. They cause flowers to wilt prematurely. Fill with lukewarm water. Different species require different amounts of water. Mimosa, tulips and gerberas require just five centimetres of liquid. To enjoy a long-lasting bouquet of roses, submerge the stems halfway up.

Did the florist supply you with a nutrient sachet? You can dilute it in the water. Lost it along the way? Your flowers will survive without it. Forget grandma's tricks for keeping your bouquet looking fresh longer. Bleach, baking soda, lemon, sugar, vinegar and salt are either ineffective or harmful to the plant.

Keep your bouquet in a bright, draft-free place. Keep it away from radiators and heat sources. Keep it away from fruit baskets too. Tomatoes, bananas and apples give off ethylene, a gas that accelerates flower ageing.

Keep water clean. Change it every 48 hours, or sooner if it starts to cloud. As on the first day, use tap water or rainwater at room temperature.

When you cut the stem, the plant reacts by letting the sap run off. After a few days, it may prevent the water from nourishing the flower. To remedy this, shorten the stems every two days, using a well-cleaned knife. Don't use pruning shears or scissors, as they crush the stems. If you want to prune like a pro, do it under a trickle of water to avoid air bubbles.

By following these tips, you can keep your cut flowers for one to three weeks. If this bouquet has a particular symbolism, for example, your wedding bouquet, you can dry the flowers and keep them for your whole life, or almost.

In theory, all fresh flowers, even herbs and foliage, can be dried. But true Lavender, thistles, immortelle and gypsophila can withstand the process better than roses or carnations.

Before the flowers wilt, when the petals are still firmly attached to the heart and stem, remove your bouquet from the water. Make up bunches of four or five flowers, ideally of the same species. Hang them upside down in a dark, dry room. Drying time depends on the variety. You'll need to wait between one and three weeks before you can add your bouquets to your decor.

Taking care of dried flowers is more like styling than gardening. Spray your bouquet every month with hairspray, because it's worth it and because hairspray preserves the plant's rigidity. Take the opportunity to dust off your floral arrangement with a hairdryer set to the lowest speed and temperature.

Whether you've chosen to store your bouquet of dried flowers in a water-free vase, woven into a wreath or in a basket hung on the wall, find a place away from direct sunlight to protect its colors.