A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Making Cut Flowers Last Longer

A lot of places that sell cut flowers include a little packet of powdered stuff that you put in the vase water to make them last longer. Does anyone know where to get that stuff in bulk... or what to ask for?

I got some from a florist shop once & what they charged me for it was ridiculous! There must be somewhere else to get it, but since I don't know what it might be called, it's hard to look for!

there are 2 tricks that i know for cut flowers.

1. add sugar to the water

2. add a small amount of bleach to the water

I agree with Rugby,

A drop of bleach..Kills bacteria.

Lasts longer.
Also use that in water your rooting cuttings in.

Good luck .
dodge

Rugby and Dodge are right.

I always use sugar in my flowers any time I bring them in. Can't wait for that time of the season again.

Rosepetal,
i picked lilacs today for my table .. i have white and purple...
Do you have them at your place?

Pennsylvania
dodge

Thanks Rugby! I knew they sold something to keep the flowers fresh longer, but I never looked into it! This is really nice to know, but how much sugar and how much bleach are you talking about?

depends on amount of water

And if you aren't near your sugar bowl,
you can add any clear pop, ie; 7~up, Sprite.
but it has to be the sugared kind, NOT DIET!!

Also an cut up aspirin too...

I love using Clorox Clean~up in mine..
Smells a little nicer than regular bleach....

And use warm water when you first fill the water,
then set it somewhere's cool..

****And always pick flowers first thing in the morning...
they have fed, and it's healthier for the flower..
especially its'a NO~NO to pick them during the hot sunshine of say around noon time...

weezie.

Pick flowers first thing in the morning?
I take that 2 ways.
Are you talking of dead blossoms your picking,
or cutting off flowers for a bouquet?
Cut them slanted when you cut them off.. gives it more area to absorb.
Dead blossoms I pick any time..


dodge

Dodge,
Picking the flowers for the vase...

weezie,
I agree 100%.......

How is your garden right now? Penna has rain day an nite since sunday. 42 degrees this moment and no rain.
My plants are setting at a stand still stage..eek


dodge;o)

Does bleach kill the plant though?
I kinda of scared to put bleach.. its not bad for plants???
So confused right now

Michael, you're right, as far as I know... Chlorine bleach is NOT recommended for watering plants with, & I'd never try that! With cut flowers, however, once you pick it from the plant it's "dead" anyway, so you're not going to do it any more harm! Some of the suggestions in the above posts are saying to use sugar & bleach in the water that the cut flowers will sit in, to make them last longer.

I'm STILL wondering what the powder is called, that you can buy, to make cut flowers last longer... so I'm just about as confused as you are!

Nope, you put in just a wee~bit compared to the
amount of water you have in the size vase you have...
It's like, I don't know, I've never measured it..
I'd say a tablespoon to a large vase..

What the bleach does is kills any bacteria build~ups in the water as the stem sticks in it.. and decomposes, which gives it a few days more to look pretty...

I do know you can buy large quantities of that stay fresh in like display size containers for business that you'd *they'd* sell for a $1.oo....
I'll see if I can hunt the info down..
*someone remind me, I have Boyscout stuff this weekend**

Gees

I only put a drop of bleach in a vase.. Did that on 2 new carnations from moms day, and they are as fresh looking , as they were on moms day.. Dont feed it bleach.
My recipe says:::::1.5 tspoons of bleach to a gallon of water....
Use hot water when you cut them..

Use bleach to was containers, greenhouses, glass, It is a sterile product..Kills germs and rot.
Have a nice day.

Dodge

One moment .

I dont use sugar with my bleach to do this. I use bleach alone.. Juwt a drop......

Nay no feeding with it.

Sterilize only.

b

dodge

Hi dodge,

I've been busy with my gardening and have not been on the forum for a few days. Sure missed it.

I do not have the lilacs that smell so pretty. When we bought our first set the guy we bought them from told me they were the right ones, so I've been really disappointed. I'm planning to plant some more. The ones I'm looking for are the "common lilac".

I just use 1 tsp of sugar in each vase of flowers I bring into the house. My roses often last a week other flowers longer.

Hey wish you could send me a bouquet of lilacs, just thinking about the makes me smile I do love them.

rosepetal

here is a bouquet of my double whites.

Enjoy.



Can you smell them?

dodge

You bet I can smell them,

Thanks lots you're so kind.

I'll have to come back a few times so I can enjoy them longer.

Glad to help.;o)

I have purple too, one tree is lousy and the other one I ran over with my riding lawn mower, it is laying down, but I did pick posies off it.
I want the deep purple color one.. You must be hunting the old fashioned lilac? I think is what we have, cause it was here before us.

dodge

That's right....

Whew! Now I'm REALLY confused! I thought we were talking about how to make cut flowers last longer, & somehow it turned into a lilac discussion! (Nice Whites, by the way! Yes, I smelled them the minute I saw them... such an unforgettable & wonderful fragrance! Thanks!) Is that what it's called Weezie? "Stay fresh"? Where do you find it in quantities like that? Someone told me recently that you can buy the little packets from florists, but they're WAY expensive that way!

Patty,

just hang in there.. topic or no topic.

I see it is senseless to buy stay fresh. I put a drop of bleach in 2 cut carnations from moms day. 7 days ago and the flowers are as gorgous as they were sunday a week ago.
I am going to see how long it goes.. Even if no one believes me..

dodge

Dodge, I'm glad that using bleach in your flower vase works for you, to make the flowers last longer! I DO believe you, but I simply would rather not mess around with bleach, as I guess I'm too sloppy to get it exactly where I need it... I've ruined a lot of clothes, canvas deck shoes, throw rugs & carpeting by getting just one drop where I didn't intend for it to be!

My Grandkids and I take flowers from my yard to people we know who are hospitalized or shut in for one reason or another, & I would rather use the powder ("stay fresh, or whatever it's called), like what comes with cut flowers from the florist. I think it's better for me, all the way around, to be able to share what God has put in my yard with those who can't get out & tend to their own gardens, without it leading to buying the kids (or myself) new clothes!

Please do let us know how long your Mother's Day flowers last!

PattyS

No offense ...Just was wondering. Yes I care and share all around here too.. garden helper is a GREAT idea.

thanks for writing

dodge