Before putting your flowers in a vase, cut the stems at their base. Although you may have heard that an angled cut is better, cutting the stems straight is perfectly fine!
Put them in a place where there’s good light – but not direct sunlight. And don’t put them near heat vents.
If the flowers come with a packet of plant food, use it. It contains sugars to feed the flowers and ingredients that inhibit growth of microbes in the vase water.
Check the water level and clarity every day, making sure to add more water if needed and completely replace the water if it’s cloudy. Giving stem bases another fresh cut when changing the water will help keep the bottom of the stem unclogged so the flower continues to take up the water it needs.
Clip and remove wilting or discolored flowers and leaves as they appear – this keeps the remaining ones healthy for longer.