How Long Do Cut Sunflowers Last In The House?

[Tilly2]

The Co-op has some beautiful bunches of sunflowers for sale today but, never having bought them, wondered how they will fare in the house.

[tuxedo37]

Morrisons says 5 days (from their store)

[Tilly2]

Thank you.

[jourdain2]

I used them in church last year - they easily did a week, some managed a fortnight.

[Captain2]

Morrisons is a 5 day guarantee. In reality they should last longer than that; I'd say at least 10 days from purchase.
I got two reduced bunches of Alstroemeria and with regular change of water lasted over three weeks.

[Tilly2]

Thank you, Jourdain. I don't think I'll buy them. I have seven dwarf sunflowers in the garden and will make do with them.

[ladybirder]

I suppose a church would be cooler than a home though??

[Barmaid]

You can make them last a long time with care - the trick is to condition them and then keep them happy.

Cut them with a very sharp knife underwater (prevents air bubbles forming), then plunge them into warm/hot water. Re-cut the stems every few days in the same way. Do not use bog standard flower food, but you can put some lemonade into the water. Constant tending and they can easily last 2 weeks if not longer.

[Tilly2]

Do the seeds remain when they've died off? Can I put them outside for the birds?

[douglas9401]

"I suppose a church would be cooler than a home though??"

That's likely clergy dependent, down with the kids an' that.

[jno]

and you can put them in holy water, ladybirder

[jourdain2]

I grew some in the garden Tilly and left them to form seeds - the birds loved them. When seed husks empty I composted them.

[Barmaid]

Unlikely they will form seed heads as a cut flower.

[rowanwitch]

Very small seeds, goldfinches will enjoy rhem