Tulips keep growing after they’re cut, which is why they bend. Here’s how to work with them, not against them.
Tulips are the only cut flower we know that carry on growing in the vase. They can gain two or three centimetres in a few days, and they turn towards the light as they go. That bend is part of their charm, but if you’d rather keep them upright, there are a few simple tricks.
Start with a tight wrap
When your tulips arrive, leave them in their paper for an hour or two in cool water. The wrap holds the stems straight while they drink and firms them up.
Use a tall vase and shallow water
A vase that supports two thirds of the stem stops them flopping. Tulips prefer only a few centimetres of cold water, topped up daily.
Keep them cool
Warmth makes them grow faster. A cool hallway is better than a sunny windowsill, and never put them next to a fruit bowl.
And if they do bend? Enjoy it. Some of our favourite arrangements are tulips curving out of an old jug.
Want flowers like these at home?
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