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Gardening Tip of the Day
Extend the life of fresh flowers in vases with these tips.
First, use clean vases. Secondly, cut off any foliage so that no leaves touch water.
Before adding any additives change the water daily. Always use tepid water.
Depending on the length of the stems always cut two to four inches off the stems to keep the cut edges clean and sharp so they can absorb water.
Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with each change of water. The sugar serves as food while the vinegar kills bloom-wilting bacteria.
Flowers will remain fresh up to 3 or 4 days longer by adding 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
Adding one-fourth teaspoon of household bleach is said to inhibit the growth of bacteria.
One crushed aspirin lowers the pH level which prevents wilting.
Add a pinch of Epsom salt to the water. Nutrients in the salt nourishes the blooms.
Copper is a natural fungicide. Add a copper penny into the vase but be sure to use a penny minted before 1982. Pennies minted later than 1982 are mostly composed of zinc.
Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2022
