I love getting flowers, especially during the holidays. I always like to have fresh flowers on the dinner table and spread around the house. It just puts a smile on my face when see those beautiful flowers in the morning.
That being said, I always try to find different tips and tricks that will help keep the flowers looking good longer.
There are many different food recipes out their for fresh cut flowers as well as different tips you can use to help them last longer.
DIY Flower Food Recipes
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice and sugar mixed together creates great plant food. The sugar helps the buds open and last longer while the lemon juice help prevent any bacteria and fungi from growing.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (you can use”Real Lemon” juice or freshly squeezed juice from an actual lemon), 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of bleach in water. I usually mix this in a quart of water and change it every 3-4 days.
Soda
You can use any lemon-lime or citrus flavored sodas (7 UP, Sprite, etc) mixed with water to keep your plant happy. I always use 2 cups soda and 2 cups of water. If you’d like to keep the water clear and prevent the bacteria form growing you can add a 1/2 teaspoon of bleach per quart mixed into the vase solution. Make sure to avoid any kind of non lemon-lime sodas and diet sodas because they don’t contain enough sugar to keep the flowers healthy.
Tips to Keep Plants Healthy
Always keep your flowers in a cool place, away from any heat and sun exposure.
Cut off any leaves that are below the waterline, this will help slow the dehydration of the flowers and also prevent mold.
Trim the tips every 3-4 days.
Most flower delivery services provide the needed food with the flowers. You can use this as well, the above recipes are ones that my family have taught me because some of our local and cheap flower delivery services do not include a food mix with their flowers.