Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Tip of the Day #299: Keeping Flowers FRESH

A fresh bouquet of flowers will brighten up any room, especially if they last. Surprisingly, a number of household items will help do the trick. Here are a few interesting products and tips that can help your blooms stay fresh longer:

1. Cut your stems with a knife instead of scissors. The gauge on scissors is set for paper or fabric, not for flower stems, which are bulkier. Using scissors will crush their vascular systems and prevent proper water uptake.
2. What you put in your water makes a world of difference!
A) Dissolved aspirin is a tried and true method to keeping your flowers fresh, but lemon-lime soda can work too. Mix one part of the soda with three parts water. Then add 1/4 teaspoon of household bleach per quart, which will help the water stay clear.
B) Lemon juice is another great ingredient to put in your vase. Mix 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of bleach in a quart of warm water. Another 1/4 teaspoon of bleach can be added to the vase water every four days.
C) One of the strangest products that will help your bouquet last is Listerine. According to Plantea.com, just 2 ounces of the mouthwash added to every gallon of water will act as plant food and create a bacteria-fighting environment for the flowers. It's also acidic like many of the other solutions, which helps the water to move up cut stems.

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