INDIANAPOLIS — Whether you're giving or receiving flowers for Valentine's Day, you can make that loving feeling last longer with a few easy steps that will keep those flowers looking fresh for the rest of the week, and even longer.
Pat from Sullivan Hardware and Garden shared a few basic tips on 13Sunrise for picking and presenting plants and flowers.
After making your purchase, give the stems a fresh clip at a 45-degree angle to promote water intake. Also, peel off dead flowers and any bacteria that's forming on the stems at the waterline.
Many bouquets come with a packet of plant food crystals to add to the water in the vase to keep the pH at the right level. Then keep the vase out of direct sunlight, and away from any bowls of fresh fruit. Apples, especially, give off gasses that harm flowers.
Pat's "power move" is to come back to the vase after several days and re-clip the stems and change the water to further extend the flowers' freshness.
If you are looking for a gift that will last longer than flowers, Pat recommends a house plant.
RELATED: Pat Sullivan: House plants in winter
But to kick it up a notch and show extra effort, look for a pot to augment your gift's presentation.
"Remember, you're not going to get an 'A' here," said Pat. "It's pass/fail. We're just looking to pass and get through this day."
Watch Pat's full 13Sunrise segment in the video player.