Dead in the water: Which blooms give you the most bang for your buck on Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day, that time of the year when flowers flow like wine, is almost upon us. Unfortunately, few things are more depressing than seeing your fancy new bouquet droopy and dying the next day. To help you avoid this downer, we set out to find which flowers last the longest and determine how you can increase their natural lifespan. Here, a quick list of  florists' tips on how you can breathe more life into your flowers beyond Valentine's Day.

Extending the lives of popular Valentine's Day flowers

• Roses
  Average life: 6 to 10 days.
  Life-extending tip: Always store them in cool water.

• Orchids
  Average life: Up to three weeks
  Life-extending tip: Re-cut their stems every three days.

• Carnations
  Average life: About two weeks
  Life-extending tip:  Fluff their petals with your fingers to remove draining pollen before putting them in a vase.

• Irises
  Average life: Under a week
  Life-extending tip: Have a few closed blossoms? Peel back their outer green covering to help them better bloom.

• Gerbera daisies
  Average life: About one week
  Life-extending tip: Stems tend to grow weak, even when the flower is strong. To strengthen their stems, prop them up with a plastic straw or simply use a wire.

Other advice for putting your best blooms forward:

• Never place fresh flowers on a TV, radiator or other heat source. Higher temps can cause premature aging.

• Always remove loose leaves. Why? Decayed leaves can introduce stem-rotting bacteria into the water, shortening the life of your blossoms

• Always cut fresh flowers. Experts suggest cutting each about an inch from the bottom of its stem at a 45 degree angle. The reason: These cuts keep the stems pointed, allowing water to move up and be absorbed more efficiently.

Need more Valentine's Day pointers? Check out our reports on the best champagne and chocolates.