How to Keep Cut Flowers in Water That's Crystal Clear

Need a little spring in your winter? A bouquet of supermarket tulips is a cheap fix for a winter that won’t die. If you’re using a glass container, here’s a tip to keeping the water as clear as the vase.

tulips in clear vase - keeping cut flowers in water that's not cloudy — A vase of spring tulips is a sure-fire way to chase away winter blues. Photo: Cathy Bennett Kopf/The Open Suitcase

My favorite vessel for displaying cut blooms is a clear glass Crate and Barrel pitcher. I’m no flower arranger, but there’s something about the cut of the opening that encourages the tulips to do their prettiest droop. All I do is plunk ’em in the water and enjoy the show.

My only pet peeve is that the water never stays as clear as the glass. I stopped using the powdered plant food that comes packaged with the flowers, thinking that might clear up the situation. But it didn’t. I blamed the hard water that caused the buildup of white film on my shower door and faucets.

flower stems in bubbly water - how to keep cut flowers in water that's clear — Tiny bubbles in my flower water were distracting in the way you sometimes hear the slightest rattle in your car that you can never find! Photo: Cathy Bennett Kopf/The Open Suitcase

So, when I moved to a new home with well water, I was confident I’d have clear flower water. Why? Well, I no longer have to Kaboom! the hell out of my shower doors.

Unfortunately, whatever’s in the well has some trace of carbonation to it that still didn’t satisfy my desire for a crystal clear look.

tulips in a pitcher in a kitchen - keep cut flowers in water that's clear — Water that’s so clear you can see clear through to the other side of the kitchen – that’s what I’m talking ’bout. Photo: Cathy Bennett Kopf/The Open Suitcase

And then the light bulb went off. I headed to the drugstore and picked up a gallon of distilled water. If you’re not familiar with distilled water, it’s water that’s heated until it turns to steam and the steam’s collected in a clean container so that the yucky stuff is left behind.

distilled water label — Distilled water is sold in drugstores and can help with appliances that get clogged with gunk, if your tap water’s hard. Photo: Cathy Bennett Kopf/The Open Suitcase

If you have a steam iron or humidifier that gets clogged because your tap water is heavy, use distilled water to keep the holes clean.

And, presto! The water in the vase is crystal clear, 24 hours later and the tulips are opening their blooms and drooping as they should. Can’t wait to give it a try in the summer when I plunk fresh-cut wildflowers in mason jars.

What’s Your Favorite Vase for Cut Flowers?