Introduction

• Keeping cut flowers looking good for an acceptable amount of time after purchase can be difficult, because as soon as the flowers are cut, they undergo physical changes that cause them to begin wilting. Since cut flowers can be expensive, it is important to understand what you can do to keep them looking beautiful for as long as possible.
  
  

Replaces Photosynthesis

• All plants use the process of photosynthesis to create the sugars needed to maintain life. When you put sugar in a vase of cut flowers, this table sugar becomes the food necessary for your cut flowers to maintain their healthy look a bit longer. Cut flowers will take the sugar in through their stems to nourish themselves. However, indoor light is not enough to allow your cut flowers to continue to use photosynthesis to create enough sugars to keep them from wilting.
  
  

Acids

• Adding sugar by itself to the water in the vase of cut flowers is not enough to maintain them for long. One of the reasons for this is that bacteria also thrive on sugars. Add an acidic element to the sugar water in the form of chlorine bleach. The best combination is 2 tsp. of sugar and 1 ml of chlorine bleach to 1 liter of water in the vase. This will both feed your flowers and prohibit the growth of bacteria.
  
  

The Citrus Soda Alternative

• An alternative to table sugar and chlorine bleach is citrus soda. Citrus soda has the advantage of containing both sugar and citric acid. The cut flowers will get their sugars so they have food, but the citric acid will help prevent bacteria growth as well. Table sugar and bleach don't smell very good together and citrus soda makes a nice smelling substitute. Just mix 1 can of citrus pop with 3 cans of water and then put it in your vase with your cut flowers.