Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

There are many "home remedies" to make cut flowers last longer. From cutting stems to water additives, most do not do much to make your flowers last longer. I've done some research and come up with what I think works best for getting the most life out of cut flowers.

1. Remove all foliage from the stems that will be below the water line. Leaves in the water decompose and create bacteria in the water that will suck the life out of flowers.

2. Cut stems that have been exposed to air at a 45º angle. This helps flowers absorb water and nutrients. As soon as the stems are cut, place them in the water in a vase.

3. Make a homemade mixture of 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. bleach, and 2 tsp. lemon or lime juice and add it to one quart water. This mixture works as well as commercial water additives to feed flowers.

4. Keep cut flowers away from heat, direct sunlight, or ripened fruit.

5. Keep an eye on the water level in the vase, and add to it accordingly. If any flowers look wilted, recut the stems. Remove them if they do not recover.