A crucial component of the proper post harvest handling of cut flowers is the use of floral preservatives or flower foods. For preserving quality and extending the life of cut flowers in vases, the industry and consumers both highly recommend and use flower foods.
Typically, flower food packets combine sugar, which serves as a nutrient for the stems, citric acid, which lowers the pH of the vase water, and bleach, which kills bacteria. Because sugar frequently encourages the growth of unfavorable microorganisms, bleach works to prevent this and prevents the water from becoming cloudy and smelling bad. Making your own floral preserver will help keep your flowers fresher for longer. Making your own with basic ingredients from your kitchen is simple and economical.
In this article, we'll give you 5 recipes for making your own preservative mixture so you can feed both your own freshly cut garden flowers and purchased blooms. Making them is simple.
Recipe -1-
- 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Household Bleach
- 1 Quart Lukewarm Water
Recipe -2-
- Half Mix of Citrus Soda
- Half Mix of Water
Recipe -3-
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Bleach
- 2 Teaspoons Lemon or Lime Juice
- 1 Quart Lukewarm Water
Recipe -4-
- 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Household Chlorine Bleach
- 1 Quart Lukewarm Water
Recipe -5-
- 1 Crushed Aspirin
- 1 Teaspoon of Sugar
- 1 Copper Penny
- 1 Pinch of Salt
- 1 Pinch Baking Soda
- 1 Quart Lukewarm Water
Instructions
1. Gather Your Materials
After the flowers have been cut, you should not waste any time. So every material you will use in preservative should be ready.
2. Combine The Ingredients
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until the juice and bleach mixture almost completely dissolves the stiff materials. Gently and continuously stir the mixture until it resembles almost clear liquid.
3. Clean Your Vase
Your cut flowers' lifespan may be significantly shortened by a dirty vase. Make sure to rinse and scrub any dirt or dust from your flower container with a mild soap and hot water. Dry it off with a fresh towel.
4. Add The Food to Your Vase
Add the homemade flower food to your vase until it is ½ to ¾ full and stir.
5. Add Flowers
Add fresh cut flowers immediately. Enjoy!
Some flowers can live longer if you remove the dead one from the vase, make a re-cut at the stem's base with sharp pair of scissors or knife and change the water within the regular base. Not fill your vase full of water. Clear the leaves and other pieces from the surface of the water. Change the water in your container every three to four days.
