Can anyone suggest a good home recipe for adding to water to keep cut flowers fresh? ?

Question

When you are gifted with, or buy, fresh flowers you get a little packet of powder to add to the water to feed the flowers and keep them fresh. That is supposed to be done every 3 or 4 days so the flowers outlast the flower food. Anyone have a good home recipe?

Answer 1

Sunset Magazine did some experimentation on this subject. The best they found was using lemon flavored soda in the water. I think it was 2/3 water to 1/3 soda.

Some flowers (stocks) last longer if the stems are pounded. Poppies last if you sear the stems with a flame. Roses need to be re-cut under water. Suspect you could do a Yahoo search and get more specifics.

Answer 2

I saw a TV show segment once where they tested different "tricks" like aspirin, sugar, the little packet, etc. and the thing that kept the flowers looking their best the longest was to completely change the water daily. Use warm water, so as to not shock the flowers. If I buy flowers and bring home to arrange, I put them in warm water in the sink and cut their stems underwater, at an angle so they cannot sit against the bottom of the vase and not draw water. Some flowers have stems that weep, and those end cuts are supposed to be sealed to as to not contaminate the water in which they're placed.

Answer 3

Not exactly what you are looking for, but here are a couple of my tricks.

Drooping flowers can be revitalized by placing them in a vase of hot water, directly (2-3 seconds), after cutting off the bottom two inches of the stems. Most flowers will perk up before your eyes.

A drop or two of bleach can be added to the water before you place the flowers in, this will help to sanitize the water from any bacteria that could hurt the flowers. The bleach will NOT hurt the flowers in this concentration.

Answer 4

the floer food packets mainly contain an acidic to maintain flow of water up the stem, a sugar as food, and something that kills the bacteria and fungi.

acids include lemon juice or viniger
bleach, copper (a penny), and asprin all kill fungi and bacteria.
lemon-lime sodas contain both acids and ALOT of sugar that feeds the flower.

also cut it under water so air does not go up the stem and suffocate it. recut them a little bit every few days,they tend to clot.
dont remove thorns it shortens its life, but remove leaves that will be submerged under the water.

keep them in cold water.
pppl even advise to refrigerate them for a few hours before arranging.

i prefer the first source i listed. it also includes how to make this glycerin solution that preserves the flowers for years, and how to properly dry ur flowers.

Answer 5

For starters, as soon as you get the flowers in the house and you're ready to drop them in the water, cut the ends again...You want the cut no more than like 10 seconds old before you drop it in the water...This will insure the longest lifetime of those flowers... As fart as adding something to the water ? Just a pinch or two of sugar or a drop or two of honey, even better...This gives the vegitation something to "feed" off of for a while... Hope I've helped...Moj.. :-)

Answer 6

Aspirin is good,but when I lived in Germany I was taught by a little German woman to add two or three copper pennies to the water.
It seemed to work and the flowers lasted a long time!

Answer 7

Aspirn for sure but you need to cut an inch maybe less off the stems of the flowers as well to keep them looking good and last longer.

Answer 8

Instead of adding anything to the water, cut off the end of the stems each day so that the tissue can continue to take up water freely. Use room temperature water, so that you don't "shock" the plant tissue, and enjoy!

Answer 9

1 bayers aspirin has always kept flowers fresh. My mom has used this for years with no problem especially on roses. Sounds corney but works.

Answer 10

Generic grocery store brand Lemon Lime soda pop!
About 1/2 can to the vase-ful!