The Secret to Long-Lasting Hydrangeas
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How to keep cut hydrangeas from wilting-the simple florist’s trick that can prevent and reverse wilting in hydrangea bouquets!
I love hydrangeas. Seriously, LOVE them. The first thing I did last year when we moved in our house was plant five hydrangea bushes so I could have my own. They haven’t bloomed yet this year but I was super excited to see cut hydrangeas in my grocery store last week and snapped some up for my kitchen table.
How to Keep Hydrangeas from Wilting
Keeping cut hydrangeas used to be hit or miss for me-they’d either do great or wilt almost immediately in the vase. I didn’t know what was causing it or how to prevent it until I was given a helpful tip from the flower vendor at our local farmer’s market last year.
She told me that sometimes when you cut hydrangeas they form a sticky substance over the cut that prevents the flower from sucking water up through the stem (that’s scientific terminology by the way, “sticky stuff” and “sucking water up,” can’t tell I was a Bio major can you?)
To prevent that “sticky stuff” from forming you need the secret ingredient-alum! (A common ingredient used for pickling, find it in the spice aisle.)
When you are arranging your hydrangeas re-cut the stem about an inch above the previous cut and immediately stick the bottom 1/2″ of the stem in the alum to coat it, then arrange as usual. It’s easy and works! No more wilted hydrangea blooms!
Repeat the process any time you see them beginning to wilt and you can keep the hydrangeas from wilting for weeks!
Do you love hydrangeas as much as I do? What are your favorite flowers?
Be sure to check out these other flower posts:
Awesome tip!!! I know my gma used Alum to change the color of the her hydrangeas…
I’ve heard of that Sue but never tried it myself!
I have hydrangeas and am wondering if they like full sun or shade. The one in the shade seem to do much better than the ones in half sun half shade…. Some get black spots on them . Do you know what that might be and how do I get rid of this. I fertilize them to change color. Love these plants and want to give them the correct care.
To add color naturally to your hydrangea’s you can spread evergreen clippings around the bottom and the next year they will turn from pink to blue or you can push rusty nails into the the ground. they both add that special PH that they need for the color combo. It works because I’ve done it and it is less expensive than pricey fertilizers. Makes them Beautiful.
Great tip Gayla!
Coffee grounds make them blue also. I grab a bag from.starbucks for free coloring.
Why are you so happy? At about year 25…you won’t be…so suck up all the happy today…thanks for the tip…I too have those issues…do you think the alum would work on perking up an aging spouse?
I’m so happy because I decide to be. I have three little boys under 8 and a hubby that works a ton in the military, including year long deployments. I see so many fellow military wives in the same situation as me that focus on the negative-long days with young kids, being left to parent alone. The way I see it I can focus on the bad or I can focus and make more good, no matter how hard it can be at times. I hope you have some good come into your day when you read this, I’ll be thinking about you!
Those are beautiful, and you are so foauntrte to have those in your possession! I don’t have good luck with growing roses – probably too much shade in my yard. My tomatoes suffer, as well. Thanks for sharing the color from your yard today.
How much Alum should one use? Want to be careful they don’t over dose as not certain if any negative affects.
Just last month I learned that if you have droopy cut hydrangea you can fill the sink with water and put them in head first to soak. These were perked up over and over by resoaking. This may work because the stems are blocked.
Wow! What an awesome tip Stefani!! I can’t wait to try it for myself, thank you!!
This is the way that hydrangeas drink from the head down. When you buy them fill a big sink or bath with cold water and put the stems in upside down make sure the head is completely covered and leave them in a cool place for about an hour or so.. I am a florist and sometimes have hydrangeas shipped from the Netherlands in boxes (not the ideal method to ship) and envariably they are quite flat when they arrive. Using this method ‘puffs’ them up again. Take them out when you’re ready shaking off the water, cut an inch or so off the bottom and leave them in a cool place the right way up in water until you want them.
I’ve never heard of Alum but sounds like a good idea to prolong the life, crushing the stems is not such a good idea
That’s a fantastic tip Mags, thanks so much! I’ll try that next time and see how it works for me! ~Melissa
Thanks for the tip! Who knew? I put your tip on my blog post today!! I linked back to you!!
https://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2014/03/designer-tricks-of-trade.html
Thanks so much for the feature, I really appreciate it!
I just bought some cut hydrangeas that looked great at the store stuck in their water containers. By next day they had the droop and wilt look. Thanks for the hint of using Alum. Can’t wait to have another bouquet of these beauties and have them stay perky.
You’re welcome! Sometimes you can bring them back when they first start to wilt be cutting them and adding the alum if they aren’t too far gone!
Choose blooms that feel like a cabbage’ mature booms not fresh soft ones. Just cup the head in your hand and you will feel the difference It always works. Enjoy your blooms. ?Adelaide
Great advice Adelaide! ~Melissa
I’m thinking the Alum is the same as aluminum sulfate – for those who can’t buy alum
in the grocery store. It MIGHT also be sold with “canning” supplies.
I appreciate this tip for I too love hydrangeas.
I love them too. We recently moved into our new construction house and the first thing I planted were hydrangea bushes too. Ours also got fungus. Hopefully next year they will be less spotty! Thanks for the alum tip!
Ours had a fungus this year too, in the past mine have come back pretty nicely in years past after getting it so I have high hopes for next year!
Hi, we live in New Zealand, and I have a border of white hydrangeas in my all-white front garden. They grow great here, my MIL from Mississippi is always jealous! I find if I pick them with a long stalk they literally last months – last summer I had one that lasted honestly 6months, it started pure white then slowly turned green, but still pretty. We dont have Alum here – do you think you could check to see what the active ingredient is? Or perhaps the other secret is really long stalks (>4″)?
That’s amazing Jacqui! We just moved into our home (new construction) last year and I planted 5 hydrangeas as soon as we moved in.. they didn’t flower that well this year though, they got some sort of fungus. Hoping next year is better!
Oops, forgot to answer you about the alum-there is no active ingredient listed on the container but it’s some form of aluminum I think and it’s used in pickling things if that helps.
hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate (potassium alum)
Hi thanks for the tip. I have 3 big plants but they don’t get many flowers. Do you know why? I would appreciate any advice.
I had the same issue with the first ones I planted…and it was because I was trimming/pruning them incorrectly. Never prune/trim them in the spring…because you will cut off all the buds. Hydrangeas bloom on old wood, which are stems that have been on the plant since the summer before the current season…not new wood, which are stems that developed on the plant during the current season. They set their buds in the fall…so, never prune/trim them after October…preferably not after August.
Some hydrangeas do not bloom on old wood. I have some right now that the growth is coming straight from the ground, while the bush looks very dead.
I always cut the old bloomed stems off in march. Leave all tbe other the stems on from last season. I have done tbis for years and always have very large and numerous blooms . Hope this tip helps…..?
How far down do you prune? I too have pruned at the wrong time and probably too far down and did not get flowers this year. I love white hydrangeas and don’t want to make the same mistake next year.
I just found this on Pinterest. I have never heard of Alum, and have never seen it in the spice aisle, but then again I’ve never looked specifically for it before. Thanks for this tip!
You’re welcome! I had to hunt for it too, apparently it’s used in pickling.
Thanks for the great tip about the Alum. Used coffee grounds makes good fertilizer for Hydrangeas helps promote blooming.
Love hydrangeas
Tried everything from smashing ends to dipping ends in boiling water…..always hit or miss with me too…the only thing that worked for me was keeping them in the fridge and rotating two or three vases I
also enjoy drying them and pressing the individual flowers for crafts …Im so trying the alum…hope all
works out ….will let you know
Thanx robin
Thanks Robin!
Please help me with hints (easy) for propagating hydrangeas. Thank you.
Oh I wish I was more help Janis-we are military and move every few years so I haven’t had much experience with that yet. So sorry! Thanks for stopping by! ~Melissa
Hi!
I love hydrangeas, but I need translation. In Norway we don’t have anything called alum. Can you tell me what Alum is, so I can try to figure out what the Norwegian name for it is? 🙂
Thanks a bunch!
I have no idea Christina but I do know it’s used in pickling sometimes…it’s short for aluminum something or other! Sorry not to be more help!
Alum is also found in baking powder (not baking soda) but I don’t know if it can substitute for the alum that is used on hydrangeas. Some of the other ingredients in baking powder might interfere but it could be worth a try if you don’t have alum by itself.
Awesome info Mel! I’ll have to try it next time I buy hydrangeas!!
hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate (potassium alum)
Thank You SO much for the info.! Will definitely share this tip! BTW I was a bio major too, & “sticky stuff” sounds right to me! ÷) Thanx Again, AmyLee
Lol thanks AmyLee!!
My hydrangeas last weeks all I do Is get the water as hot as possible. Snip every few days and change the water.
Great tip Christine, thanks!!
Do you use hot water every time you change the water out?
I didn’t see this and have never had this flower before. Now that the flowers died what do I do ? Do I plant it outside and just keep watering it.?? The leaves are also have a gold tint to them. No clue. HELP
Is it cut flowers or a potted plant? If they are cut I don’t think you can bring them back.
Oh what a great tip Melissa! I do love those and daylilies too! 😉 Bonnie
Thanks Bonnie! I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Hydrangeas are definitely my favorite! My wedding bouquet was made of them. Thanks SO much for the tip!! Do you know how much extra life you get by using the alum? Thanks again.