Plant Food for Cut Flowers - eHow.com_6013

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                              Flowers stay fresh-looking longer with the proper nutrients.
                           
                        
                     Cut flowers last much longer if you provide food and energy found in flower preservatives. These solutions also prevent fungi and bacteria from growing in a vase or container. Some flowers need extra preparation before they can take up the food. Their stems leak a milky sap when cut,You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, preventing them from absorbing the water well. Remedy this by dipping the bottom half-inch of the stem in boiling water for 30 seconds or by charring the end with a flame.
                  
               
                  Commercial Preservative
               
                  
                     Purchase a commercial preservative for your cut flowers at florist shops, plant nurseries or hobby and craft stores. Packets of preservative often are included with the purchase of a floral arrangement. Most commercial preservatives have sugar for energy, a bacteriacide and an acidifier to keep the water at a pH of about 4.5. They may also contain ingredients that increase water absorption, preserve the color of the blooms and reduce food intake. If your water is hard and has a high alkaline content -- a pH of 7 to 10,You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, you may need to use twice as much of the commercial preservative. Rain water is an excellent substitute for hard water.
For any cut flowers, make sure the temperature of the water in the vase is 100 to 110 degrees to avoid shocking the flowers and to help them last longer. This is basically the temperature of comfortable bath water. Fill the vase approximately half the depth of the stem lengths and add more as the water level drops. Make sure the leaves of the flowers are not under water because this makes microbes grow rapidly.
                  
               
                  Carbonated Beverage Preservative
               
                  
                     Feed cut flowers lemon-lime carbonated beverages to preserve their beauty longer. Mix 2 cups each of a nondiet lemon-lime carbonated beverage and water in a container with a lid. Add 1/2 teaspoon of regular chlorine bleach to the solution. Pour the mixture into the vase and keep any remaining solution to refill it as the water level drops.
                  
               
                  Vinegar Method
               
                  
                     Add flower food to the list of uses for vinegar. To create this preservative,You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, combine 2 tablespoons each of distilled white vinegar and sugar in a container with a lid. Add 1/2 teaspoon of chlorine bleach and 1 quart of water to the solution. Pour it into the vase with the cut flowers.
                  
               
                  Fresh Lemon Mixture
               
                  
                     Fresh lemon juice can be used as a cut flower preservative. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice from a lemon and mix with 1 tablespoon of sugar,You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, 1/2 teaspoon of chlorine bleach and 1 quart of water to make this flower food.
                  
               
         
         
      
   
   
   
   
   
   
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