Will crushed aspring/tylenol keep flowers fresh longer?

Question

I think this is an old wives tale but I am curious if any one has had any success doing this, and if so which is better tylenol or aspirin?

Answer 1

Aspirin is acidic, and it does make flowers last longer. You need to dissolve it in the water, so don't use coated aspirin!

The perfect additive for flowers is a combination of acid, an anti-bacterial agent and a food source such as sugar. The National Rose Society recomments using Listerine ( a small amount in water).

Tylenol doesn't have any ingredients that are beneficial to cut flowers.

Answer 2

Aspirin does help a little.
Sugar
The rumour:
Sweetening the water with sugar or lemonade gives the flowers a boost that keeps them going for days longer.
The truth:
Au contraire, sugar can reduce the lifespan of flowers (think what would happen if you sat in a Jacuzzi with an infinite supply of chocolates).
Flowers do need sugar to keep them sustained, but it’s simple sugars they prefer (on growing plants, the leaves produce this special sustaining elixir).
Raw sugar and sweet sodas are ultimately just a big drawcard for bacteria and fungi, which shouldn’t be encouraged because they block the stems and prevent the flowers from taking in sufficient water.
Vinegar
The rumour:
You can keep cut flowers fresher for longer by adding vinegar to the vase.
The truth:
Vinegar is mildly acidic, so it will help to lower the pH balance of the water slightly – a good thing, as it makes it easier for the stems to absorb water.
The acidity may also help to keep the stem-blocking fungi at bay. Unfortunately, vinegar has the nutritional value of a Turkey Twizzler, so it’s not going to provide the sustenance a flower needs to live for longer.
Aspirin
The rumour:
Dissolving an aspirin in the water helps keep flower heads from drooping.
The truth:
There’s probably not enough sugar in aspirin for it to be an effective pick-me-up, but the aspirin does slightly lower the pH balance of the water, helping water absorption and inhibiting the growth of bacteria.
Bleach
The rumour:
A capful of bleach a day keeps the germs away from your flowers
The truth:
Bleach is very acidic, so it will dramatically lower the pH balance of the water, encouraging absorption and preventing the growth of bacteria. The trouble is that it could also burn the flower stem – and there’s nothing in the white stuff for the flower to feed on.
Rusty Coin
The rumour:
Dropping a penny in a vase will increase the lifespan of flowers.
The truth:
Wishful thinking. Pennies used to have a high copper content, which would lower the acidity of the water, but nowadays they’re so thinly coated they’re about as much use to your flowers as they are to you.
Mixture
The rumour:
1 teaspoon of bleach, 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 2 teaspoons of sugar in a litre of room-temperature water is a favourite treat of fresh-cut flowers.
The truth:
Will the limitations and negative effect of each ingredient be balanced by the positive effect of another?
Well, yes, perhaps, but not enough to make this concoction a viable replacement for commercial flower food.
And you’d probably be better off leaving out the bleach.

Answer 3

Perhaps an old wives tale but how many of these tales exist because they actually work!!
If indeed asprin or tylenol work to keep cut flowers fresh longer, I suspect it is because they discourage bacteria from growing in the water, which causes the stems to deteriorate and thus preventing the flower from drawing up water.

Answer 4

I've heard that Asprin does. . .never heard about tylenol (anacitametaphen) There is also something in the stores now called " flower fresh" or something lie that. . in little packets.
also when you get the flowers home, cut them on an angle under cold water with sharp sissors or knife (be careful). Then put in only enough water to cover the ends of the stems and dont be afraid to change the water every day. . .Good Luck !

Answer 5

I have never used tylenol, but I have used asprin and it did seem to help. I usually just change the water daily and add a new asprin each time. If you don't want to keep crushing asprin, us BC powder, it is the same thing.

Answer 6

Aspirin In Flower Water

Answer 7

Well according to ''Queen'' 'Martha Stewart',Plain ole non scented bleech works the best.Just a drop or too.She snips off @ 1'' of the stem,UNDER WATER,first then puts them in a vase,with a drop of bleech

Answer 8

I use them all the time and my flowers last longer than when I dont