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How to Keep Tulips from Drooping

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Keep your spring tulips in a vase looking fresh longer with these easy tips and tricks to help you keep tulips from drooping!

how to keep tulips from drooping

I love, love, love tulips and probably love them even more so this year because I’m so looking forward to Spring (we have 7″ of snow and an ice storm happening as I write this!)

While I appreciate the charm of a drooping, swinging tulip I know many prefer their tulips not to droop (and in many arrangements, they look better standing tall) so I thought I’d share my tips to care for tulips in a vase, keep tulips from drooping, and make cut tulips last!

tulips in a vase

For more flower tips, see how to keep roses fresh, how to keep hydrangeas from wilting, how to keep cut flowers fresh, and how to arrange grocery store flowers!

How to Care for Tulips in a Vase

Start fresh

First and foremost start with fresh blooms that haven’t fully opened yet. Fresh-cut tulips should have bright green stems that feel crisp to the touch. Nothing is going to help your tulips avoid drooping if you start with old flowers that have already taken a turn for the worse.

Choose the right vase

When displaying tulips in a vase, choosing the right vase can make a big difference in whether they will droop or not. Choose a vase that is tall enough to offer the tulip support, at least half the height of the tulip. You can switch to smaller vases as you trim the tulips. Avoid vases that curve outward at the top if you want your tulips to stay upright.

As you can see below, if you use a wide-topped vase the tulips will follow that arch. Fill your vase with clean cold water.

drooping tulips in wide vase

Try one of these florist tips

  • It’s often said that dropping a penny made prior to 1981 into the vase will help keep the stems upright due to the copper in the water…(I can’t say for sure that it will work but I do it out of habit just in case!)
  • I have also been told by a florist to add a few teaspoons of vodka to the water to help keep it sterile!
  • Make a tiny slit at the top of the throat where the stem joins the base of the tulip. Use the tip of a small knife to slice into the petal and continue to the base of the “throat,” this stunts the growth of tulips. Tulips will open at a much slower, pace.

Condition the stems before arranging

Allow your tulips to remain in the vase, wrapped, for 5 hours or overnight.  Conditioning the stems in this way allows them to fill with water while maintaining that upright position and making it more likely they will stand upright longer. If your blooms were loose, gently wrap them in plastic wrap to keep them upright.

How to Keep Tulips from Drooping

Choose the right location

Place your vase of tulips in indirect sunlight. Avoid areas of intense sun and heat or drafts like in front of an air conditioner vent.

Recut the stems

Recut the stems at a 45-degree angle at least an inch from the previous cut while holding them underwater.  Remove all leaves that will be under the waterline before putting them in your vase.

Change the water

Change the water in your vase every other day. If the vase itself looks discolored, wash and rinse thoroughly before returning the flowers to the vase.

Keep them chilled

It works at the florist, so why not at home? If you have room, place your tulips in a refrigerator overnight to keep them fresh longer.

If all else fails…

If all else fails you have the option of threading floral wire up through the stem to the base of the flower (carefully!!)  Coil the excess at the bottom of the stem into a spiral for stability.  Gently bend the flower where you want it and it should hold its shape.

red tulips in a vase

How to Make Cut Tulips Last

Maintain the Arrangement

Keep your tulips out of direct sunlight (they will turn towards the sun!) and change the water daily. 

Snip the stems about 1/2 inch every 3 days to help them continue to keep fresh.

Have you gotten your first bouquet of tulips yet this year? Isn’t it amazing just how many different colors they come in? What’s your favorite?

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25 Comments

  1. I always push a needle or straight pin through the stem just below the flower. It seems to work for me. I will try your suggestion about keeping them wrapped and in a cool place overnight. Thanks for all your good info.

  2. With gerbera daisies and tulips I use a plastic straw for each stem to keep them upright. You will be limited by the length of the straw but as tulip continues to grow you can push the straw up towards the bloom when you change out the water.

  3. Two weeks ago I picked up some sunny yellow tulips at the grocery store. My sister told me to put 2 pennies in the vase to make them last longer. She neglected to tell me they should be before 1981, I’m not sure what year I put in but they were shiny so definitely newer. The green very soon drained out of the leaves and they not only drooped but went all kinds of crazy twisting and turning and spreading out about 8″ on either side of the ball jar I put them in. They eventually looked mummified! It was kind of cool but they were brightly colored anymore. I went to the same grocery store today and gave it another try with a light purple color tulip. This time I find this post and did what she suggests with the exception of the pennies. I’m not sure if I want to do that again. The vase I’m using now is a tall narrow milk glass. So we’ll see 😉

  4. Tulips are gorgeous until u take them out their wrap,….
    Gave my daughter a bouquet for Easter.
    They instantly drooped in the vase, I say it every year but honestly NEVER buying again.

  5. My first visit to this blog . I googled how to condition hydrangeas. Enjoyed reading the blog and comments. Vodka in flowers I had been told could be used. I used to much vodka they smelled drunk and were-past dropping. I was not drinking the vodka. An expensive mistake. I will enjoy following your blog.

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  9. I have always used 1 tablespoon of vodka in a vase full of cool water. It works great. I think the floral wrap idea makes sense, and I’ll give it a try next time. My florist said to skip the penny though. Most old pennies are full of bacteria and will actually shorten the life of the tulips. I have also heard of people sticking a pin through the stem 1/2″ from bottom of cut stem. I imagine that would be to help them draw more water. I’ve not tried that.

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  11. I agree sugar and a copper penny do the trick—they last upright for a full week–just continue to add more water

  12. The real secret to keeping the blooms upright is to add SUGAR to the water. Trust me, it works! Blooms that are hanging over the side of the vase will be upright within an hour.

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  14. Let me give you a florists tip. After you have prepared your tulips as you instructed and have cut the stem to the desired length. Take a straight pin and insert a pin hole in the neck of the tulip just under the flower. Your arrangement will stay beautiful .

    1. I have used the pin trick for years. It works. Just never add daffodils to your tulips. Although they bloom well together, they do like to share water in a vase. Linda@Wetcreek Blog

  15. Tulips are my favorite Spring flowers! So nice to know how to keep them fresh longer.

    1. A very long time ago I saw a post to cut a slit a short way down the stem from the bud about 1/2 “ inch or a bit longer . It works like a charm. I have a beautiful bouquet of yellow tulips my hubby just brought home to me, and they are now in the vase with water and slits. ??

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