Caring for Your Mother's Day Gift

The flowers and plants have been sent you may have even seen Mom’s face when she received them, but how to keep the memory alive begins right away by cherishing the moment through careful tending to that floral gift, here’s how.

Some people call caring for flowers conditioning flowers. This isn’t as daunting as it seems as all it really means is keep your flowers alive and fresh for as long as possible so you can enjoy them to their maximum. Here is a simple guide to making the most of your gift.

Unlikely Methods for Keeping your Flowers Fresh after Mother’s Day

There are so many myths that surround keeping your floral gift fresher for longer. For instance does a copper penny keep cut flowers fresh? Or is the little packet of flower food a safer bet? How about the old favorite an aspirin?

Other queries include what water temperature is best for your flowers and how can you keep the lifespan of your flowers to their maximum? Often old wives tales are based on scientific fact. Here we show how and why these tricks work.

Copper Penny, Aspirin, and Other Alternatives to Chemical Flower Food

Flower Food

The little packet of flower food are bactericides that kill the bacteria, yeasts, and fungi.

Copper Penny

Copper is a fungicide and acts to preserve the water from too many yeasts and fungi.

Aspirin
Aspirin is an acid and helps to kill bacteria overgrowth. If you don’t have any to hand add 2 tablespoons of 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 Helpful Hints and Tips

Place cut flowers in cold water, not warm! Warm water dehydrates flowers. Believe it or not but by placing cut flowers in the refrigerator for six hours before arranging them can help triple their lifespan. Hot water up to 110-200 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended to restore very wilted flowers the hotter water is for the more wilted flowers. When filling your vase there is no need for the water go higher on the stems than six inches. It’s also good practice to recut the stems every few days. Remove all leaves and foliage below the water line.