Most people don’t think to “prune” a bouquet. But if you want your fresh-cut flowers to last longer, deadheading is one of the easiest, most effective ways to extend vase life—by days or even a week.
And no, this has nothing to do with Jerry Garcia.
Why You Should Remove Dying Flowers From a Bouquet
Dead flowers don’t just look sad—they’re actually sabotaging the rest of your bouquet.
When blooms begin to wilt, they release ethylene gas, a naturally occurring plant hormone that speeds up aging and decay. This same gas is used to artificially ripen fruits and vegetables in grocery stores. And unfortunately, it affects everything around it.
That means one dying flower can drag down the whole arrangement—unless you intervene.
What Else Releases Ethylene Gas?
Ripening fruit at home
Fresh produce in stores
That’s why grocery store flowers often fade fast. They’ve been sitting near ethylene-rich fruits and veggies the whole time.
What Is Deadheading?
Deadheading is the process of removing wilted or dying blooms from your bouquet—before they can impact the rest of the flowers.
It’s simple:
Snip any limp, brown, or sagging flowers at the base of their stem
Remove any slimy or yellowing leaves while you’re at it
Top off the vase with fresh water or flower food to give the remaining flowers a boost
Pro Tip: After trimming the dead heads, treat your bouquet again with Flower Boosters to rehydrate and revive the remaining stems. This combination of deadheading + treatment can often add several more days of vibrant bloom time.
How Ethylene Gas Affects Vase Life
Once ethylene gas is in the air, it spreads quickly. That’s why:
You should never store flowers near fresh produce
Even one bad bloom in a bouquet can take the others down with it
Cutting out the problem early can dramatically extend lifespan
Real Results from Deadheading + Flower Boosters
By combining deadheading with Flower Boosters, many customers report their bouquets lasting:
2–3 weeks, instead of just 5–7 days
With stronger stems, brighter blooms, and fewer petals lost along the way
Trimming dead heads of cut flowers = preservation.
Flower Boosters = restoration.
Together? Long-lasting beauty.
Want Longer-Lasting Flowers?
Treat your next bouquet with Flower Boosters:
Backed by testing, not guesswork
Pet-safe and non-toxic
Made in the USA
Comes with free measuring scoops when you buy direct
- Free reminder stickers
Buy Direct for Best Value or Shop on Amazon for free Prime shipping
make Cut Flowers Last Longer
