Some people think the little pack of flower food or even a copper penny will extend the life of fresh flowers. Some think the temperature of the water makes all the difference. How do you keep fresh cut flowers fresh? Often time's classical folk tips and tricks are based on good science and are typically the most effective.
Here are tried and true tips on keeping cut flowers fresh
Copper is a natural metallic preservative and acts like a fungicide to the bacteria and algae that can grow on the stems of fresh flowers while in their vases. Adding a couple of copper pennies to the vase can help keep them fresher longer.
Aspirin is a powerful acid for flowers and can kill the bacteria that spoil flowers.
Adding a couple tablespoons of lemon, orange or pineapple juice or even vinegar to a liter of a quart or two of water will also add enough acidity to the water to act as a natural preservative. This is the same reason why adding lemon juice to fresh foods will help keep their color longer and prevent browning. Make sure though if using vinegar or any other acid that you use a clear or lightly colored one. Dark balsamic and sherry vinegars might smell and taste wonderful but they are definitely not good for fresh flowers.
Here are some other basic guidelines to keep in mind with fresh cut flowers
Make sure to place the flowers in cold, not warm water. Flowers put in warm water will dehydrate.
Placing fresh cut flowers in the refrigerator overnight will lengthen their lifespan by three times.
Make sure to only add enough cold water to the vase to cover 6 inches of the stem. There is no reason to add more water and will only be harder to reduce the amount of bacteria in the vase.
Cutting the stems of your flowers every few days will make them last longer. Make a diagonal cut under water an inch about the last cut. Make sure to put them back into he water as quickly as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment