How to Keep Flowers Fresh for a Long Time during the 2025 Lunar New Year, Even After the Third Day of Tết

(Mytour) Do you know how to preserve the freshness of flowers throughout the 2025 Tết holiday? Many people enjoy flowers but are unaware of the best methods to keep them vibrant until the third day of Tết.

Among the various ways to keep flowers fresh for the 2025 Lunar New Year, choosing the right flowers plays a key role in ensuring they bloom beautifully and stay fresh for a long time. Before purchasing, you should refer to the flowers for the 12 zodiac animals to see which flowers suit the homeowner's age for bringing prosperity and wealth into the house.

Remember to select flowers with full stems and leaves, with straight and sturdy branches. The petals should be firm, thick, and vibrant, while removing any flowers that show signs of fading or wilting.  

Fresh flowers will have bright colors and firm petals. You can test their freshness by gently squeezing the flower with two fingers. If you feel some firmness and slight elasticity, then it's a fresh flower. On the other hand, older flowers will feel softer due to the petals having wilted.

Darkened cut marks on the flower stems may indicate that the flowers have been cut for some time and are no longer fresh. Choosing wilted branches could affect the other flowers.

When buying flowers for the Tết holiday, opt for those with bright colors such as red, yellow, pink, and orange, as they symbolize prosperity, happiness, good luck, and cheerfulness for the New Year. However, avoid mixing too many colors in one vase; five colors or fewer is the best choice.  

After purchasing fresh, beautiful flowers, the next step is to prepare them before placing them in the vase to ensure they last longer.

When bringing flowers home, be sure to remove any damaged or wilted leaves and branches, as well as those with pests. Additionally, avoid overcrowding the vase with leaves, as these fallen leaves can unknowingly foster bacteria and mold that will harm the flowers.

Next, immerse the flower stems in slightly warm water. Never use hot water, and be careful not to submerge the flower heads—just the stems should be dipped.

After 10-15 minutes, use sharp scissors to cut the stems at a 45-degree angle to help the flowers absorb water more efficiently. Avoid using knives or blunt scissors for cutting.

A key tip is not to overfill the vase. The number of flowers should match the size of the vase. Overcrowding will prevent the petals from getting enough air and hinder proper blooming.

Many people overlook the importance of cleaning the flower vase, but this step is actually crucial in determining whether the flowers will stay fresh for a longer time.

The simplest way to clean a flower vase is by using dishwashing detergent to wash it thoroughly, removing dust and bacteria. Be sure to rinse the vase well so no soap residue remains before placing the flowers inside.

Alternatively, you can use salt to clean the vase, which is especially helpful for small vases that are hard to reach inside. Simply add a pinch of salt into the vase, then pour about 50ml of warm water, seal the vase, and shake it vigorously for 1-2 minutes.

Once the salt has dissolved and the water becomes cloudy, pour the dirty water and salt out, then rinse the vase with clean water. It’s quick and easy, isn't it?

If you don't have salt, you can use lemon. Lemon is an effective and simple solution to eliminate odors and stains from your flower vase.

Use a few slices of lemon to scrub and wash the vase and its rim, then add some lemon slices into the vase along with warm water. Shake it well, then pour out the mixture and rinse with warm water once more.

There are numerous ways to keep flowers fresh during Tet 2025 simply by using a special water mixture. This helps the flowers bloom beautifully and evenly, ensuring they stay fresh and vibrant throughout the three days of Tet without wilting.

Use B1 or aspirin tablets: Crushing a B1 tablet and dissolving it in the water for your flowers can help them stay fresh longer than usual. The dissolved B1 solution helps the flower stems absorb more water.

Aspirin increases the acidity in the water, which helps kill harmful bacteria while also providing nutrients that help the flowers live longer.

Use lemon: You might not know that lemon juice can also help flowers stay fresh in the vase. It increases the acidity in the flower water, which kills bacteria and extends the flower's lifespan. If you're out of lemons, vinegar can be used as a substitute with similar effects.

Drop a coin in the water: A coin, being a metallic substance, acts as a natural antibacterial agent, preventing the flower stems from decomposing quickly in the water.

Add sugar to the flower water: Stir 2 teaspoons of sugar into the water, or you can replace the sugar with 1/4 can of carbonated soft drink.

Additionally, some homemade flower water solutions used after each water change can also help extend the flowers' freshness.

Method 1: Mix 1 liter of water + 1 tablespoon of lemon juice + 1 tablespoon of sugar + 1/2 tablespoon of bleach.

Method 2: Mix 60g of mouthwash with 4.5 liters of water. Listerine and bactericides act as an acid that helps flowers absorb water, enhancing photosynthesis to keep them fresh longer.

Before placing flowers in floral foam, it’s important to prepare the foam properly. When soaking the foam, ensure the water level rises above the surface of the foam for optimal results.

The side of the floral foam with text should face upward. Avoid pressing on the foam or pouring boiling water onto it, as this could compromise its ability to absorb water. Soak it in warm or cool water for the best results.

Once the floral foam is soaked, it should only be used to arrange flowers for up to 24 hours to prevent it from deteriorating, which would reduce its ability to keep flowers fresh. It's important to replace the foam every day.

Once flowers are placed in the foam, avoid removing and re-inserting the stems. Do not apply excessive force to avoid breaking the foam.

Unused foam that has absorbed water should never be dried out, as it will no longer absorb water effectively when reused. Simply keep soaking it, or discard it if it has absorbed dirty water.

Adjusting the blooming time of flowers to match your expectations is easier than you think. Many people end up buying flowers without properly timing them to bloom beautifully for the Lunar New Year. Here’s a simple trick you can use to make sure your flowers bloom perfectly for both your living room and the altar during Tết.

To accelerate the blooming process, place your flowers in water that is 20-22°C for a few minutes. If the flowers have wilted, soak them in cold water for several hours to restore their freshness. Ensure that the flower stems are cut at a 45-degree angle before soaking to maximize their effectiveness.

Peach and apricot blossoms are two essential flowers during the Tết holiday for Vietnamese people. Peach blossoms are commonly found in Northern and Central Vietnam during Tết, while apricot blossoms are a symbol in the Southern and Central Southern regions. Each type of flower holds its own unique meaning and significance in Vietnam’s traditional Lunar New Year celebrations.

Peach Blossoms

To keep peach blossoms fresh at home, the first step is to thoroughly clean the vase and use clean water for arranging the branches. This is the most important trick to keeping your peach blossoms fresh and vibrant. Always ensure that the peach branches are placed in clean water and kept in a cool environment to help them last longer.

It’s recommended to change the water in the vase every 2 to 3 days and clean the stem portions submerged in the water each time to remove old water.

For potted peach trees, you should water them regularly with clean water but avoid over-watering as peach trees prefer dry conditions. Over-watering will cause the roots to rot and the plant to wither.

You can also add five B1 vitamin tablets to the vase for extra nutrients. Choose B1 tablets for human consumption or use a B1 version designed to reduce plant stress and provide extra nourishment. Potassium is another helpful addition to keep the branches strong and healthy.

Apricot Blossoms

To prolong the life of apricot blossoms in your home, particularly those in pots, apply a few simple tips. From the 12th to 15th of the lunar month, pluck some of the leaves from the apricot tree or use a chemical spray to encourage leaf drop. By the 23rd of Tết, the apricot tree should begin to form small buds.

By the 27th or 28th of Tết, when the flowers start to bloom, spray the entire apricot tree with a multi-nutrient compound called GA-3. This will help preserve the freshness of the apricot blossoms for Tết. The flowers will remain vibrant and fresh for 10 to 15 days.

For apricot branches in a vase, it’s best to cut them early in the morning and use sharp scissors to make a clean cut. You should also cut the stems at a 45-degree angle to increase the surface area of water absorption.

After cutting, briefly hold the stem ends in a flame before placing them in a vase with clean water. Always ensure the water in the vase is clean and not left for too long without changing. If you notice any wilted stems, remove them immediately to prevent them from affecting the others.