I love flowers. Who doesn’t? They instantly lift your mood, your day, your home, everything (!) with their pretty scents and gorgeous colours. If only they lasted longer than a few days!
Well have no fear, follow these swiish tips to get more life out of that beautiful bouquet:
Aspirin: Put a crushed aspirin in the water before adding your flowers. If you don’t have aspirin handy, then try a teaspoon of sugar, or a pinch of salt and baking soda
Bleach: Freshly cut flowers will stay fresh longer if you add 1/4 teaspoon of bleach per 1 litre of vase water. Another popular recipe calls for 3 drops of bleach and 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1 litre of water. This will also keep the water from getting cloudy and inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Coins: Your posies and other cut flowers will stay fresh longer if you add a copper coin and a cube of sugar to the vase water.
Hairspray: Just as it preserves your hairstyle, a spritz of hair spray can preserve your cut flowers. Stand a foot away from the bouquet and give them a quick spray, just on the undersides of the leaves and petals.
Vodka: The secret to keeping cut flowers looking good as long as possible is to minimize the growth of bacteria in the water and to provide nourishment to replace what the flower would have gotten had it not been cut. Add a few drops of vodka (or any clear spirit) to the vase water for antibacterial action along with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Change the water every other day, refreshing the vodka and sugar each time.
Stems: Cut the stems of your flowers at a 45 degree angle with sharp scissors every day.
Avoid overcrowding flowers: Allow enough air to circulate between each flower. Too many flowers crowded together in the bouquet at the florist shop may cause the petals to become squashed and bruised. When you take them home, place them in a container or bucket of water in a cool dark place and allow the flowers to have a long drink before being arranged into a vase.
DIY Mix: Make your own preservative to keep cut flowers fresh longer. Dissolve 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons white vinegar per litre of warm water. When you fill the vase, make sure the cut stems are covered by 7-10 centimetres of the prepared water. The sugar nourishes the plants, while the vinegar inhibits bacterial growth. You’ll be surprised how long the arrangement stays fresh!
