Oh, look! You’ve got fresh new flowers. This means days and days of enjoyment, marveling at the beauty of the blossoms and feeling good about having something green in the home. But how many days?

Griffin’s Floral Design is here to help you get the most out of your arrangement, helping those flowers go the distance. And while life expectancy varies for each blossom depending on the species, you can expect to get a solid 5-7 days of beauty out of yours. Here’s how.

When you’ve got something as beautiful as Starlite Garden begging for your attention, you’re definitely going to want to up your floral care game. The water in your design’s container has likely already been treated with preservative, or flower food. This is typically comprised of bleach, acid and sugar, all of which work to keep bacteria away and to maintain the pH balance of the water.

Make sure that the water is topped off, refilled or even flushed out every other day. Pay close attention to how it looks, and make sure that no foliage is slipping below that water line. Snipping the stems at a 45-degree angle is always a good idea too, unless you think it will disrupt the floral artistry your designers have provided. Be careful when you cut; floral shears are a solid investment because they won’t damage those ends. Cutting reopens the seal at the end of the stem, allowing your flowers to drink heartily from the clean water you’ve ensured they always have. Happy flower parenting!