Preserving Valentine’s Day Flowers

Well, the most wonderful time of the year has arrived for the floral trade: Valentine’s Day.
Roses dominate the United States as the #1 flower to give on this occasion and folks are always wanting to know how they can preserve extend the life of the blooms they receive.

Here are my tips for getting the most our of your Valentine’s Day bouquet

• If they arrive in a box or wrapped in cellophane, remove them immediately and prepare them for a vase as follows:
  • Fill your container with equal parts water and lemon-lime soda (sprite or 7UP)
  • Add two aspirins
  • Cut the end of the stems of each of the flowers and foliage you receive. The roses don’t care whether you cut straight across or on a slant. Just cut them. This cut allows the stems to be hydrated.
  • As soon as you cut them plunge the stems into the mixture of water, soda and aspirin. This combination of sugar and pain reliever seems to do the trick!
  • Arrange as necessary.
  • Repeat this step every 2 days. As the stems become shorter and some of the blooms begin to fade, divide and move them to smaller containers. As the additional filler foliage fades, I add some from my garden. Rosemary, boxwood and others make great fillers and will give your blooms a new look.
  • Most people find that by following this course of action, you can extend the life of your blooms up to 14 days.

I hope all your Valentine’s Day Dreams Comes True!