Using a mixture of sugar and vinegar extends the life of most varieties of cut flowers. The sugar feeds the flowers, prolonging life, while the vinegar creates a favorable pH balance. The combination of sugar and vinegar works in lieu of flower food, so whether you get a bouquet of flowers as a gift or you're picking fresh flowers from the garden, keep them living longer with this simple home recipe.
Cut Flowers Keep on Livin'
Once you cut flowers, you sever their access to water and nutrients formerly supplied by the roots. The cut end of the stems continue to draw water, and any nutrients in the water, feeding the blooms for a period of time. Water is most important for cut flowers, keeping them fresh for a few days, but to extend the life of cut flowers you have to provide nutrients in the form of sugars.
Sugar Feeds Flowers
Sugar is the most important addition to any homemade plant food. The sugar, high in carbohydrates, continues to feed flowers after they are cut, helping unopened buds to open and extending the life and vitality of open flowers. You can use table sugar, brown sugar or even soda. But remember, it's the sugar you want for your flowers, so using diet soda completely defeats the purpose.
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Vinegar Acidifies the Water
Lowering the pH of the water in a vase helps extend the life of cut flowers. Use regular white vinegar. The lower pH does help the flowers absorb more water, but more importantly, the acidified water creates a hostile environment for microbes. Microbes, fed by decaying plant material and especially any sugars you add to extend the life of the cut flowers, will cut the life expectancy of your cut flowers. Tap water is usually about neutral at 7.0, and for cut flowers you want to bring pH down to 3.5 or 4.0.
Putting It All Together
Use equal parts dissolved sugar and vinegar to supply adequate levels of sucrose and acidify the water. Add a few drops of bleach to help keep microbes from growing in your flower vase. While the vinegar will slow microbe growth, adding a little bleach will help prolong your flowers.
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For a quart vase, use 2 tablespoons of each dissolved sugar and vinegar and add 1/2 teaspoon of bleach, advises Purdue University; other universities use the formula of 4 teaspoons of sugar to 2 tablespoons of vinegar with the same 1/2 teaspoon of bleach. (If you want to try soda, Purdue suggests 2 cups of lemon-lime mixed with 2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of bleach.)
Three Flowers that Don't Like Sugar
Not all cut flowers benefit from adding sugar to the water. For cut daffodils (Narcissus spp.), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8, marguerite daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens), hardy in USDA zones 10 through 11, or tulips (Tulipa spp.), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8, skip the sugar. You can add a 1/2 tablespoon of bleach to the water to keep it clean and free of microbes.
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Eulalia Palomo has been a professional writer since 2009. Prior to taking up writing full time she has worked as a landscape artist and organic gardener. Palomo holds a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from Boston University. She travels widely and has spent over six years living abroad.
