The Best Way to Process Stock Flowers for Longer Vase Life 🌸

Fluffy, lavender stock with an incredible fragrance.

A simple technique that will make your stock flowers fluffier, more fragrant, and last longer in arrangements.

If you’re a florist or flower enthusiast, you know the love-hate relationship with stock flowers. They smell incredible and add the perfect soft texture to any arrangement, but they’re notorious for wilting quickly and having a short vase life.

After reading a tip in a florist Facebook group and testing it myself, I’ve discovered the best way to process stock that has noticeably improved how they bloom and how long they last — and I’m sharing it with you!

Here’s our Bumble Fleur stock flower processing method:

1️⃣ Start Fresh + Clean:
Fill a squeaky-clean bucket with water and add flower food. Stock stems are extra sensitive to bacteria, so starting with a clean container is key. I prefer to use the Full Bloom formula by Chrysal for flower food.

2️⃣ Add Hot Water:
Heat up water to just under boiling — you can use an electric kettle, microwave, or very hot tap water. Add this to your bucket with the flower food.

3️⃣ Prep the Stems:
Remove all foliage from the stems and give them a fresh cut at an angle with a clean, sharp floral shear. Place the stems into the bucket of hot water.

4️⃣ Give Them Space:
Don’t overcrowd your bucket. Stock flowers like space to breathe and bloom. Let the stems soak until the water naturally cools to room temperature.

5️⃣ Optional Bonus Tip:
I like to snip off the green unbloomed buds at the top of the stems. It helps create a fluffier, fuller look in arrangements and puts more energy into the opened blooms.

The Result?
With this process, I noticed that the stock flowers opened up beautifully within about an hour. They smelled amazing and held up much longer in arrangements than usual — even outside of the cooler.

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