http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-keep-your-cut-flowers-fresh.html
How to Keep Your Cut Flowers Fresh
By Annie B. Bond
Is a copper penny the right choice to keep cut flowers fresh? Or is the little packet of flower food? An aspirin? What water temperature is best? What is the trick that will triple the lifespan of cut flowers?
Often folk tips are based on good science. Learn about what works and what doesn’t, and why, to keep your cut flowers fresh, here:
Copper Penny, Aspirin, and Other Alternatives to Chemical Flower Food
The little packet of flower food are bactericides that kill the bacteria, yeasts, and fungi.
Here are tips of reaching this same goal without the chemicals:
* Copper is a fungicide and acts to preserve the water from too many yeasts and fungi.
* Aspirin is an acid and helps to kill bacteria overgrowth.
* Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar to 1 quart of water. The idea here is the same as with aspirin, since lemon juice and vinegar are acidic.
Other Guidelines To Keep Fresh Flowers Fresh
* Place cut flowers in cold water, not warm! Warm water dehydrates flowers.
* Placing cut flowers in the refrigerator for six hours before arranging them will triple their lifespan.
* Hot water–up to 110-200 F–is recommended to restore very wilted flowers (the hotter water is for the more wilted flowers).
* Except for when you are cooling flowers, when you want cold water to cover the stems of the flowers, there is no need to have the water go higher on the stems then six inches.
* Recut the stems every few days.
* Remove all leaves and foliage below the water line.
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9 comments
add your comment »I have a small length of copper pipe in an outdoor fountain to ward off mosquito larvae but it never crossed my mind to use copper on cut flowers. I tried pennies in the fountain but it didn't work, I'm not sure why, unless pennies aren't pure copper?? I certainly will try it for flowers, I've tried everything else! lol
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I've researched this topic and written an article on my site as well. But from my research the penny, aspirin etc., etc., are just old wives tales
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To keep cut flowers fresh is like trying to keep dead body alive.
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Real flowers do really smell. Scent of flowers have real healing properties proven.
Anyway, what a sick tradition is to give someone dead flowers? Cut flowers are dying and radiate energy of death.
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I read a couple of good ideas. Cut (re-cut) the stems beneath water. Adding some vodka is a good way to ward off bacteria, mold, fungi, etc.
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Tonic water will revive wilted flowers & keep them fresh for up to a week.
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flat lemonade is a good one my grandma has used this for years.. try it..
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The copper penny is a new one for me - thanks for the advice.
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aspirin, who knew? Annie, knew.
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