How do you keep cut flowers fresh?

[Nanc952]

My friend and her granddaughter just got me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers.
She knows it has been rough here and said I needed something pretty. Wasn't that sweet?
But now I would like to keep them as long as possible (would rather have had a plant, isn't that awful?) these will die and I will hate that.
But do you know of anything to put in the water to make them last longer?

[JKATHERINE]

I've heard that you can add liquid glycerine to the water to sustain life in fresh flowers, but I've never tried it...also, make sure there are no greens (leaves) under the water because it makes the water go bad. Change the water often and every day or every other you can re-cut the bottom of the stems at an angle...hth :)

[mamalamas]

7-UP is supposed to be good for keeping flowers fresh! Cut the stems on a slant under running water ... here is some more info I found




Place freshly cut flowers in a deep container of warm water and let them sit at room temperature before arranging.
Remove all foliage from under the waterline.
Add a preservative to the water to kill fungus.
Place your arrangement in a cool spot away from direct sunlight.
Change the water every other day. If the blooms look wilted, recut the stems.
Cover wilting blooms with a thin film of plastic, a paper sack or a newspaper until plump again.

It also says to put a penny in the vase and it will keep the flowers perky :eek:

[Lora_1994]

I've also heard that if you put an asprin in the water every other day it'll keep them alive longer.



That was soo sweet of them. I never get flowers...lol

[ahippiechic]

I heard all those, except the one about the penny. I might try that next time. :)

Congrats on getting flowers!

[nanajoanie]

When I'm lucky enough to get florist bouquets, I daily lightly trim the stems. I also keep 1/2 aspirin in the vase. I even do that when I go out in our fields on the farm and pick wild flowers. I change the water about every 2 days.

[schsa]

Trim the bottoms and add aspirin to the water. It's too bad that flowers have to die but I always take one from a bouquet and turn it upside down and dry it out. Then I tape it to the card so I have a memory.

[Nanc952]

Trim the bottoms and add aspirin to the water. It's too bad that flowers have to die but I always take one from a bouquet and turn it upside down and dry it out. Then I tape it to the card so I have a memory.

Do you mean like you hang it somewhere so it drys? Please give details on how to do this.
I would like to keep some of them they are so pretty and I do agree with you will hate to see them die.
They do look nice on the table.
Thanks to eveyone who posted. :) :)

[twinkiesmom]

i usually do a half of an aspirin every second or third day in new water.

[YankeeMary]

I always use Mountain Dew and it seems my cut flowers last forever...

[twinkiesmom]

I always use Mountain Dew and it seems my cut flowers last forever...
do u just use Mt. Dew by itself or do u mix it w/water? That sure is different. And it works? hmmmm

[YankeeMary]

I swear by it....normally I use straight mt dew but if I am low on pop, I just add a bit of water...and it sure makes the vase pretty.

[twinkiesmom]

that's a new one. I'll hafta remember that.