Cut Early

• If you are cutting your own fresh flowers to make an arrangement you can help make the flowers last longer by cutting them very early in the morning, according to EwingSpace.com. By cutting in the cool temperatures of early morning you will get fresh stems that are full of water and that are rigid and easy to arrange in a vase. Flowers cut later in the day may become wilted easily.
  Also, carry a bucket filled with slightly warm water in the bottom to put the newly cut flowers in. Cut the stems at a sharp angle to increase the surface area so that they are able to pull up more water quickly. This method will ensure that your fresh flowers are not out of contact with water at any time. Even a short absence of water to the freshly cut stems can cause them to trap air inside, resulting in the inability to pull water from the vase you display them in.
  
  

Preservative

• Once you have your flowers, put an additive into your vase water that will help preserve them. This flower preservative can be bought in stores that sell flowers, but you can also easily make your own at home, according to GoodHousekeeping.com.
  Add a 1/2 tsp. of sugar and a dash of bleach to a gallon of regular water and you will see that your flowers hold their fresh form much longer.
  
  

Change The Water

• Be sure to change your water every two days, according to GoodHousekeeping.com. This simple procedure will help extend the life of your cut flowers considerably. And do not forget to use the water made with the preservative mixture for best results.
  If you see leaves drop off and fall into the water at any time, remove them. Leaves submerged in the water could produce flower-killing organisms that can shorten the life of the flowers in your arrangement.
  
  

Don't Refrigerate

• You may have heard that keeping flowers in a cooler will make them stay fresh longer. You have probably even seen the florist keep arrangements in a cooler. Do not try this at home.
  According to GoodHousekeeping.com, a florist's fridge is set up specifically for optimum temperature and humidity levels for storing flowers. Your home refrigerator is not. In addition, vegetables in your refrigerator release ethylene gas, which kills flower blooms.