Maybe you’ve brought home some carnations, or someone got them for you if you're fortunate. They’re not like the common daisies, roses, or tulips, so how do you care for them? Those delicate petals need a good home, so here are the first steps to appropriately care for these unique flowers:

• Find a very clean vase (the cleanest one you can find).
• Place the flowers next to the vase to get the proper cutting length. 
• Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle, making it easier for the flowers to absorb water and stay healthy. 
• Cut them underwater when cutting the stems, preventing air bubbles from forming. 
• Don’t forget to add flower food when filling your vase with carnations.
• Additionally, if you change the water, make sure that you recut the stems and eliminate any leaves that dwell under the waterline. 
• Lastly, whatever you do, don’t put your carnations in an area with abnormal heat sources, direct sunlight, cold drafts, ripening fruits, or near other wilting plants. Why not? Well, you don’t want your carnation bouquet going to flower heaven even before it has lived a long and fulfilling life, now do you?

How About Hydration?

Carnations love water—but not too much! One or two inches of water, or three or four at most, is best. Water-loving carnations will resist stem rot, a disease that plagues these flowers. Here are some other helpful carnation care tips when it comes to hydrating them:

• The best water to use for your carnations is room-temperature tap water. It’s easier for them to absorb.
• Never use hard or softened water when you’re giving your carnations a drink; both types contain minerals that could be bad for them.
• Also, cut and change your carnation stems at least every two days to keep them hydrated.
• Finally, fight off bacteria by adding 1/4 tablespoon of bleach to a quart of water in the carnation vase. If you don’t, your carnation’s stems may become clogged, which will prevent them from absorbing water, and they will die.

You may also want to add lemon juice or an aspirin tablet as an acidifier to help maintain a healthy pH level. Two tablespoons should do the trick.

Keep Caring for These Flowers

Once you’ve placed carnations in the perfect vase with the proper watering schedule, don’t stop there! Sure, they may be healthy and pretty, but you want these flowers to look good for some time, right?

If you want your carnations to live a long and happy life, you should share the occasional moments of love and affection with them, meaning you should re-cut their stems, change their water, and give them nutrients every two or three days. They’ll need it to stay at their peak of cuteness.

Some studies even prove that plants respond to sound. So while you’re at it, play classical music and talk to them just like you would any person you come across. Be sure to point the sound directly at their vase for the best results!

Concluding Carnation Care

Caring for these flowers is not so not tricky, and it doesn’t require pruning shears or gardening gloves. With just a couple minutes of your day and some good information, even a regular Joe or Jane like you can care for carnations. All you need to remember are these three words: vase, water, and consistency.

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