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Whatever the season, the greenhouse industry has can always make sure that it is spring in our homes. It is quite easy to fool tulips and other spring flowers into blooming early indoors.
The cut fresh tulips you find at your florist are usualy "forced" tulips. Forced tulips are grown in greenhouses and have been subjest to special temperature treatments to confuse the biological clocks of the flowers and to therefore force them to bloom on a different cycle than they otherwise would if they were grown normally outdoors. This emthod also allows growers to produce flowers that are of uniform height and quality.
When properly cared for, cut fresh tulips should stay fresh in a vase of water for around seven to ten days. For longer lasting tulips, you should recut the stems when you first get them home. To do this propoerly, lay the bouquet out on its wrapping paper or newspaper, and then cut the stems diagonally, so that you remove about a half inch of the stem.
Then, rewrap the bouquet in some paper by making a cone shape and do so that the tulips are standing straight upright. The tops of the tulips should not extend over or above the top of the paper although you should wrap the bunch so that a few inches of the stems stick out. Then place the wrapped bouquet in water again for another hour or two, making sure the paper is above the water line. If any of your tulips start to droop, just use a pin to poke a hole beneath flower head -this will allow the air to escape and water to move up the stem.
Recut the stems this time to the desired length before rearranging. Again you should make a diagonal cut. Fill your vase with water and add some floral preservative--a powdery mix of plant food and bacteria inhibitors available at all floral shops these days. Whilst some people believe that adding a dash of carbonated lemon-lime soft drink, a teaspoon of sugar, or even a bit of bleach to the water will help to extend the life of your cut flowers, none of these remedies are nearly as effective as the commercial cut flower food.
As a general rule, the bouquet should be about one and a half times the height of the vase they are contained in. Fresh tulips tend to work very well in tall, straight vases.
Did you know that tulips actually continue to grow after being cut? They do - up to an inch or more. They will also conform to the shape of the container - straight up if they are in a tall container, and twisting to fit into a flat or irregularly shaped vase.
When done, place the bouquet out of direct sun and away from any heating vents or drafts. Be sure to top off the water level daily to keep arrangement fresh.
Did you know also that when buying tulips, men preferred to buy (iIn order of preference) red, yellow, pale pink, hot pink, white, and purple tulips. Women however tended towards pale pink, pale purple, hot pink, peach, red, and yellow. Something perhaps to consider when buying a bouquet of tulips for your special friend! | 
