Its Mothers Day today and if you want your flowers to last as long as possible follow these tips for a long lasting display!
- Use lukewarm water when arranging flowers; it has less oxygen in it, so you don't get so many air bubbles up the stems of flowers. (The air bubbles reduce the life of the flower).
- Use plain, lukewarm water for most cut flowers, but use cold water for bulb flowers, such as daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips.
- Change the water every 2 days - don't just top it off. This is the single most effective thing you can do to keep your flowers looking fresh.
- Keep flowers out of direct sunlight, and move them to a cool place at night.
- Add a shot of vodka or a splash of lemonade to the water in your vase - it will keep your flowers fresher for longer.
- To keep the water fresh in your flower arrangement drop a shiny copper penny into the bottom.
- When arranging flowers, strip off all leaves below the waterline to prevent them rotting.
- Smash hard woody stems but cut soft stems to prolong their life before placing them in your arrangement.
- To help perk up and revive woody-stemmed flowers like roses put the stems in boilind water for ten seconds, and then immediately plunge them into cold water. This will move the air lock that has formed in the stem up to the flower.
- If your flower arrangement is going to be in a warm room, keep the blooms looking fresh by popping a couple of ice-cubes into the water each morning.
- Don't put flowers next to fruit because the fruit produces ethylene gas, which increases the maturity rate of the flowers, so they die quicker. Also, remove dying flowers from an arrangement because they produce the same gas.
- Scented flowers don't last as long as non-scented ones because they use up extra energy producing the smell.
- Do not mix daffodils with other blooms - they release a poison that kills other flowers.
- A pinch of salt or sugar into the water of a flower arrangements helps to slow down bacterial growth.
Happy Mother's Day..........
