Tulips are the most beautiful messengers of spring. Their crisp stems and bright colours can light up a home right from the start of the year. You received a gorgeous bouquet, but you fear one thing: that it will quickly “collapse” in the vase, bend its heads and drop its petals? It doesn't have to be that way!
The tulip is a very special flower. Unlike a rose, it has a fleshy, soft stem and in a vase it behaves like a living organism: it drinks huge amounts of water, keeps growing and twists towards the light. But all you need to know are the 7 secret tricks of our florists and your spring bouquet will stay fresh and upright for a whole week.
Why do tulips droop in a vase? Florist Bára answers:
“Did you know that the tulip is one of the few flowers that keep growing after being cut and put in a vase? It can stretch by as much as 5 centimetres! This fast growth makes the head heavy, and the soft stem full of water simply cannot hold it up. My biggest trick from our practice? Ice-cold water. Feel free to drop ice cubes into the vase and put the bouquet in a cooler room overnight. The cold slows growth and firms up the stems beautifully.”
7 care rules: how to keep tulips fresh?
We promised you 7 tricks, here they are step by step:
1. The crisp freshness test (choosing is the foundation)
If you buy tulips in person, look for ones that “squeak”. When the stems gently rub against each other, they should make a softly crisp sound – an unmistakable sign of freshness. The heads should still be green and tightly closed.
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With us you can be sure: at KvětinyExpres.cz we choose tulips directly at the Dutch flower auction at the bud stage, so that you enjoy the most beautiful unfolding of the flowers at home, not us in the warehouse.
2. The journey home (prevent shock)
A tulip must not dry out on the way. If you carry it from the shop in your hand, wrap the ends of the stems in a damp paper towel. If you order a bouquet from our e-shop, our Airway courier service will deliver it in an air-conditioned vehicle and in special water packaging, so the flower suffers no temperature shock.
3. Preparing the stems (always a STRAIGHT cut)
This is where most people make a huge mistake! While roses are cut at an angle for the vase, we cut tulips straight. With a sharp, clean knife (never scissors, which would crush the stem) trim the stems by 1–2 cm. An angled cut would make the soft end of the stem start to curl unattractively under the weight of the flower.
(Already know how? Send tulips as a surprise! Choose a bouquet and we will deliver it with a free message.)
4. Water and flower food (they are thirsty, but cannot stand depth)
Tulips are huge “drinkers”. A bouquet can drink a whole vase in a single day.
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Low level: put only a little ice-cold water in the vase (about 5–7 cm). Why? When there is too much water, the submerged part of the soft stem quickly softens and rots. Rather top up fresh cold water every day.
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Flower food: add a sachet of food for bulb flowers (you get it from us with every order FREE of charge).
5. Remove the leaves
Before putting the bouquet in the vase, ruthlessly remove all lower leaves that would reach into the water. Leaves in water start to rot immediately, bacteria multiply and spoil the water. Spoiled water clogs the stems and the flower wilts in no time.
6. Beware of heat and fruit
The tulip is a spring flower – it absolutely hates heat!
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Do not put the vase next to a radiator that is on, a fireplace or in direct sunlight.
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The fruity enemy: never put the vase next to a bowl of fruit. Ripening apples and bananas release ethylene gas, which rapidly speeds up the ageing of flowers. Next to fruit your tulips will fade twice as fast.
7. SOS rescue: the pin and coin secret
Have a slightly “sad” and bent bouquet at home? Try these professional rescue tricks:
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The wrap: wrap the bouquet tightly (but carefully) in newspaper so the stems are straightened. Re-cut them and put them in ice-cold water in a dark room for 2 hours. They recover beautifully.
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The pin trick: take a clean pin and pierce the stem right through just below the flower head. This releases the air bubble inside the stem, and the tulip stops growing and twisting so much.
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The copper coin: drop a cleaned copper coin to the bottom of the vase. Copper works as a natural disinfectant and kills the bacteria that cause stem rot.
Spring comfort and gifts at your home
Tulips are a balm for the eyes. Now you know how to care for them like a professional from KvětinyExpres.cz.
Want to send a spring mood to someone close? Order a surprise conveniently online. If someone close to you is celebrating, take a look at our favourite birthday bouquets. Belgian pralines and chocolate from our range of extras also go wonderfully with the bright colours.
KvětinyExpres.cz team
