It’s a pleasure to see colorful blooming flowers in gardens and similarly a bouquet of beautiful flowers is the best way to brighten any room. Here are a few kitchen tips to keep these flowers vibrant and fresh for longer!

• Wash the vase and fill it with tepid water. Remember to change water every couple of days.
• If using store brought flowers, cut the stems diagonally and arrange it in the vase. The cut flower food provided in the packets is great to provide nutrition to the flowers.
• If cutting flowers from garden, cut flowers early morning and stick them in water quickly before they get exposed to air and wilt.

• The common view was the add salt to water, but actually sugar gives more nourishment to flowers! This has to be paired with an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or white vinegar to help absorb water. If using an opaque vase, apple cider vinegar is supposed to work great too!
• Few drops of Bleach in vase water reduces bacterial growth and decay and keeps things fresh.
• ¼ cup of left over soda is vase water also keeps flowers fresh.( It’s a good use of flat soda. btw diet sodas don’t help. )
• Adding 2 crushed Asprins for 1 quart of tepid water also keeps flowers fresh longer.
• If arranging posies or tulips, drop in few pennies in the vase along with sugar. Copper pennies acts as acidifier and keeps the stems from drooping.
• Perfect Formula for longer blooming and fresh flower arrangements is Juice of ½ lemon+ 1 tsp sugar + few drops chlorine bleach ( to reduce bacteria). I have tested this formula and it seems to be helping!!