If your sweetie shelled out big bucks getting a beautiful floral arrangement for you, make them last as long as possible. Here are ways to make your cut flowers last longer using common ingredients found around the house.
If your sweetie shelled out big bucks getting a beautiful floral arrangement for you, make them last as long as possible. Here are ways to make your cut flowers last longer using common ingredients found around the house.
Floral arrangements are particularly pricey around holidays like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day so of course you want to get the longest use and enjoyment out of fresh flowers as possible.
We spotted a few tips and tricks from Reader’s Digest for making flowers last longer. The best part about these helpful tips is that you can preserve your fresh cut flowers using stuff you probably already have around the house.
Here are a few favorites:
Aspirin
A tablet of aspirin can mimic the effects of the traditional flower food that typically comes with a bouquet of flowers. Simply crush an aspirin tablet and dissolve in water before adding flowers. Trim a little bit off of the stems every other day to help them absorb the water.
Vodka
More than just for making martinis, vodka can be used to keep flowers fresh. Scientific American says that vodka could be responsible for inhibiting ethylene production in plants which might help in slowing wilting. Don’t pour your roses a shot just yet. Just like us plants can only handle so much alcohol and the vodka should be diluted. Add a few drops of vodka to water along with 1 teaspoon of sugar. At least this use of vodka won’t give you a hangover the next day!
Copper penny
Put all of those random pennies you found underneath the couch cushions to use by placing one in the bottom of a vase along with a teaspoon of sugar. The theory is that the copper acts as a natural antibacterial agent.
Need another idea for old copper pennies? Try making a penny floor. >>
Bleach
You use it to sanitize your toilets so why wouldn’t you use it to disinfect germs that might be lurking around your flower vase? Not only can bleach sterilize a vase, it can also help keep flowers from wilting too fast and prevent mold from growing in the water and turning it to that nasty, cloudy color. Add 1/4 teaspoon of bleach per 1 quart of flower water.
Sugar
Perhaps one of the most common ingredients for making homemade flower food is sugar. The sweet stuff can help open up buds and keep them blooming longer by providing nutrients. Sugar can be mixed with white vinegar, vodka, bleach, aspirin, or fresh lemon juice to add an extra kick to the flower water.
Don’t miss our additional tips for extending the life of flowers. >>
Do you have a favorite way of keeping flowers fresh? Leave a comment below and share your tips with us!
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