I used to think having a vase of fresh flowers on my table habitually was a habit for people with much more expendable income than I. But my friends convinced me that spending a few dollars for my happiness/ mental health was worth it.
I also found a killer trick that helps flowers stay fresh for two and a half to three weeks. And I don't mean high-end, expensive, still-budding flowers either. I usually buy a $5 bouquet from the cheapest flower tin at my grocery store.
First, I cut off all the leaves and and thorns that are below the top of the vase. This isn't news to anybody, but if a leaf gets submerged it will rot and mold and make your entire bouquet go bad quickly. I do a thorough trimming of everything below the top of the vase.
I also make sure to trim the end of each flower. Sometimes I'll run the ends of the flowers in hot water for 30 seconds because this is supposed to open up the water absorption passages in the stem.
But my main trick? I use Sprite instead of water. Sprite (or 7-Up) has citric acid, sugar, and water in it. The water is the main food source, the citric acid helps flowers absorb a lot of liquid, and the sugar acts as food. I have tiny bottles of Sprite in my pantry, and every three weeks when I get a new bouquet I open one bottle and pour it in. If I need more liquid I'll just add extra water. (Diet Sprite won't work because it has no sugar.)
It's worked like a charm for six months now, and I have yet to get tired of fresh flowers on my table throughout the day.
I've also heard putting the flowers in your fridge overnight helps keep them fresh for about an extra five days, but I always forget to try it out. If you are more diligent than I, try it and let me know.
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