How To Keep Cut Flowers Fresh For A Long Time

By Super

Flowers are enchanting beauties that nature has bestowed in bountiful. They are little things that render a feeling of freshness and joy with their various hues, fragrance and loveliness. Whether they are arranged in a vase or wild on the plants they do not cease to spread their beauty that kindles a blissful feeling within oneself.

Here are a few steps for a lasting freshness of the flowers that adorn your vases.

Flowers last for a long time when cut with a sharp knife and plunged into the water immediately

Always cut flowers in the morning or in the evening when the weather has cooled down. Plants are normally found with stored food in the morning that render an extra fragrance

Roses, Irises, Gladiolas and Daffodils have to be cut in the bud stages while Marigold, Dianthus and Delphiniums should be open

Immediately immerse them in lukewarm water

Cut the stem on the slant and it is important to remove the dead leaves that are submerged in the water

A penny and an aspirin tablet dropped in the water keep the flowers fresh longer. The fact is that copper acts as a fungicide and aspirin provides acidic properties to water

Add two small pieces of charcoal into water, to keep flowers fresh.

Two tablespoons of fresh limejuice, 1 tablespoon sugar and ' teaspoon of bleach will provide food and acid for the plants. This will help in making the flowers last for a longer time

Add two ounces of Listerine mouthwash to a gallon of water. Since Listerine is acidic it aids in moving up of water through the cut stems. Further Listerine also contains sucrose which acts as food for plants and a bactericide

Plain lukewarm water is advisable for most plants. But cold water is suggested for bulbs flowers like daffodils and tulips

It is very important to change the water completely. Do not just keep adding more water to the already existing water. This is one of the most effective and simplest way for keeping your flowers fresh

Avoid keeping your flowers under direct sunlight

Arrange Daffodils in a separate vase as they release toxins that affect the longevity of freshness in other flowers

Add a little preservative to kill the fungus in the water

The wilted blooms should be covered with a thin sheet of plastic or newspaper until they render a plumy appearance or you can re-cut the stems.

So gear up.... Let fresh flowers adorn your homes