Best buys.
For longest vase life, buy cut tulips with flower heads just starting to open (the bud should be closed, but with a hint of flower color showing).
Open the channels.
Before arranging, condition tulips by re-cutting the base of the stem with a clean sharp knife. This opens the stem to receive water.
Dirt can kill.
Flowers stay fresher longer if the vase is kept scrupulously clean and full of cool water. Bacteria from a dirty vase and dirty water can shorten a flower's vase life.
No teetotalers.
Tulips are big drinkers. Check the water level often and add water daily. For longest vase life, change the water every few days.
Vary the vase.
Tulips look great in a variety of containers, from vintage tins to the prettiest crystal vase. Experiment with what you already own: pitchers, teapots, candy dishes and even plastic tumblers.
Fast bloomers.
Properly cared for, tulips should open and bloom for 4-8 days. Keep away from direct sunlight or sources of heat (including radiators, stoves, lamps and TVs).
Not another bite.
Don't feed tulips those little packets of cut-flower food the florists hand out. Pure water is all they need. Refresh if cloudy.
Leaf and bud.
Here's a simple but stunning way to arrange tulips (see our photo on this page). Start with a vase about 5-6 inches high and cover the exterior with double-sided tape. Then stick on calathea White Star leaves, all around, overlapping the edges. Hold them together tighter with a wire or rubber band and then tie with a piece of long wild grass or raffia. For a final accent, tuck in a few twigs of fragrant eucalyptus or other berry.
Ah-tten-tion! Tulips too unruly?
Remove the flowers from the vase, re-trim the stem tips and roll the tulips snuggly into a newspaper cone. The paper should extend above the flower tops but not cover the lower third of the stems. Place the wrapped bunch upright in a container holding cool water deep enough to submerge the exposed stems. Leave in a cool place for an hour or two to soak up the cool water in an upright position. Presto—stems will be straight again.
Dancing partners.
Combining tulips with daffodils or any species of Narcissus is not recommended as tulips exude a sticky sap that shortens the life span of other flowers by clogging their water uptake channels. If you must combine them, prep the daffodils separately first by trimming their stems and letting them sit in separate water for an hour before placing them in a mixed arrangement.