The past month has been a complete whirlwind! Last week, a photographer for Country Sample Farmhouse Style came and photographed my house for their upcoming Spring 2025 issue. First off, I was honored to be considered let alone be picked. I found out in May, and it has been serious house projects ever since. I never knew my home was actually that dirty either, haha! But for reals, the amount of scrubbing and touch up painting is for the book. My arms gained muscles I didn't know existed....also got crazy cramps. I'll be sharing many of those projects with you soon, but today, I want to share with you a hack I learned about and finally got to try!
So, you may have noticed that most plants...well, all the plants in my house are fake. I do have a few in the kitchen and I guess I do decorate with some dried stems, but the majority of the plants are fake. So, when it came time for the photo shoot I wanted to bring in live flowers and stems. I had this idea of having an overflow of hydrangeas in a basket on my kitchen island for the shoot. So, we picked up some amazing white hydrangeas from Trader Joes. They were like $5 for 3 stems, I got 5. They were beautiful and luckily lasted for the photo shoot and then started wilting the next day. I was so sad to see them go, then I remembered something I came across a few years ago that you can bring hydrangeas back. So, I googled it, and google AI told me to drown them. haha. Literally. So, I did a little more research and found out that is exactly what you need to do!
Yes, you heard that right! Drowning your hydrangeas in water can revive them, and today, I'm going to walk you through how to do just that.
The Magic of Hydrangeas
Before we dive into the rescue mission, let’s talk about what makes hydrangeas so special. Unlike most flowers that draw water primarily through their stems, hydrangeas have a unique ability to absorb water through their blooms. This means that even when the stems seem too far gone, there’s still hope. The process of reviving hydrangeas by immersing them in water works wonders because it allows the flowers to hydrate directly through their petals, giving them a second chance to bloom beautifully.
Step-by-Step Guide to Reviving Hydrangeas
1. Assess the Situation
First, take a good look at your hydrangeas. If the petals are starting to wilt and droop, and the stems feel limp, it’s time to act. The sooner you catch them, the better the results will be. I noticed them within one day, and acted on it that night.
2. Prep Your Space
Find a clean sink or large container that’s deep enough to fully submerge your hydrangea blooms. I used my bathtub. Fill it with room temperature water. Avoid using hot or cold water, as this can shock the flowers and do more harm than good.
3. Drown the Hydrangeas
Gently lay your hydrangeas in the water, making sure the blooms are fully submerged. You might need to weigh them down slightly with a clean plate or another object to keep them under water. This might seem counterintuitive, but trust me, this drowning technique is exactly what they need.
4. Wait and Watch
Leave your hydrangeas in the water for at least 2 hours. For severely wilted flowers, you can leave them overnight. I noticed the best results leaving them overnight. During this time, the petals will absorb the water they desperately need. You might even notice them starting to perk up before your eyes.
After their water bath, remove the hydrangeas from the water and shake off any excess. Lay them on a paper towel and then trim the stems at a diagonal angle to allow for better water uptake, and place them back in a vase with fresh water. Enjoy!
I'm so glad I remembered there was a way to increase the time you have with your hydrangeas. Now to figure out how to dry them when the time comes! Also...totally going to be planting bushes of these in my yard so I can enjoy them during the spring :)
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