Instead of using those packets from the florist to extend the life of cut flowers, can you use a common item?

Question

When you buy cut flowers, especially roses, the florist gives you little packets to put in the water with the flowers. Can this be made at home from common household items?

Answer 1

A penny will help open and preserve Cut Tulips and other Bulb type blooms, but will also help all flowers.

An uncoated Aspirin also works well. If you have some miracle grow or similar type water soluble fertilizer you can add a pinch as well to help feed the cuttings.

Another old wife's tale is 7-up in the water....

any of the above work well temporarily.

Here are some other tips for roses...
Once indoors, recut all stems, placing them in warm water again. It is well to remember that the time between cutting the rose outdoors and placing the stems in water should be minimal. Unless immersed in water, stems absorb oxygen . Air causes air plugs or embolisms inside stems, this disrupting the flow of nutrients inside cut flowers.
There are two stages to preserving roses. The first stage calls for using distilled or soft water because it contains very little salts. Both sources of water will adjust to the proper pH level in the least amount of time. Use only a half-pint (8 ounces) of water for this initial solution. Use your electronic soil pH tester to check water pH. Ideal water temperature is around 100 F. Having obtained a pH reading of the water, start adding small amounts of concentrated lemon juice to lower the pH to 3. When the pH registers 3, stop adding lemon juice.

Roses are best processed in cool air temperatures, generally between 32 and 35 degrees. The refrigerator is perfect for this. Transfer cut roses from the plain-water container (which you used outdoors when you cut the roses) to the solution containing the pH of 3. Place this container in the refrigerator. Stemmed roses should stay in the solution for an hour or more until leaves and rose petals become crisp and turgid. Once roses look fresh, remove them from the fridge and transfer them to the second preservative stage. You may think it’s complex, but it isn’t.

Once roses have been enriched with the acid water, they should be immersed in a preservative, commercial or homemade. Nurseries generally carry several commercial preservatives, including Flower Life, Floralife, Oasis, PetalGard and others. You can make your own by adding clear Karo syrup to water. Here, the pH should be increased to 3.5. Water temperature should be between 105 and 110 degree F. Keep roses away from strong sunlight. Change the solution every three days. Roses could last 7-10 days in the home.

Among the cut flowers profiled in Sacalis’ book are anemone, astilbe, cattleya orchids, dahlia, delphinium, dianthus, freesia, gladiola, iris, lilac, narcissus, peony, and tulips. Process these cut flowers as with roses, but without refrigeration.

When you buy cut flowers at the supermarket, set them on the floor of the car so they are shaded from sunlight. On arriving home, cut the stems and place the flowers temporarily in a bucket of hot water. For displaying in the home, use a decorative vase, add a pint of hot water, then one or two teaspoons of clear Karo syrup. Place stemmed flowers in the solution, away from direct sunlight. When you retire at night, move the vase to the floor of a cool room. The next morning, retrieve the vase and display it appropriately in the home.

Hope that helps some!

Answer 2

More important than the packets are the care that they have received before ever getting to you.

best bet....see your florist for flowers.
box stores do not stock high quality flowers, and they are often the second hand or leftovers from what was shipped to florists.

flowers, especially roses, should be cut at a 45 degree slant to allow the rose to drink in more water. The water should be luke warm when this is done. The roses should then be put into a vase with NO leaves touching the water. Leaves will cause the water to not only discolor, but introduce ethelyn gases which cause the rose to mature even faster.

do not display your roses in sunlight, and always keep them as cool as possible (40 degrees being optimum but no higher than 68 degrees) Do not keep flowers near fruit or vegetables, as they continue to the ethelyn gases which will age your flower.

Remember to cut your roses at a 45 degree slant everyday, and change the water...this will ensure that your flowers remain as fresh as you (consumer) could possibly have done.

It is the florist, who is ultimately responsible for the longevity of your flowers. In a nutshell, if you want a good product, see a reputable florist.

Answer 3

I read in some magazine that putting an aspirin (not the coated variety) in the water will work just as well.

Answer 4

Plain old sugar does the same job. That's why some people are suggesting 7Up, because it's loaded with high fructose (sugar)

Answer 5

I have actually use a disolved aspirin. It doesn't work as well as the packets, but it does work better than nothing!

Answer 6

I wouldn't call it an item , but yes you can cut stem in a slantward cut , this really does work :)

Answer 7

My mother always uses Seven-up.

Answer 8

I've heard of using 7up , but I don't know if it works

Answer 9

my granny says powdered aspirin is best