Cut Flower Food Recipe

Preparing the Flowers

• Although the flowers have already been cut, they need to be cut again. Run the stems under lukewarm tap water and, using a sharp knife or pair of scissors, cut the stems at a steep angle. Cutting the stems at an angle allows for more of the internal stem access to the water provided. Remove any leaves that will be beneath the surface of the water when the cut flowers are placed within a vase or other container.

Store Bought Food vs. Homemade Concoctions

• In a study performed by the Floralife Laboratory in 2007, it was found that commercial cut flower food outperformed homemade recipes. Cut plant food should contain three basic elements: something to kill bacteria, an acidifier and some type of sugar. It is easier for commercial suppliers to control the amounts of these ingredients, but that does not mean a commercial solution is always the best.

  While a laboratory-formulated solution may perform better for some flowers, the study found that two different homemade cut flower food recipes performed reasonably well, depending on the type of flower it was fed to. Most homemade plant food recipes have the same ingredients as commercial cut flower food does. However, the chemicals that are available over the counter to consumers are not always as potent or pure as those available to manufacturers.

Preventing Bacteria

• The most important thing in prolonging the life of cut flowers is to prevent bacteria from growing in the water. Add two small drops of chlorine bleach to the vase, if possible. Another viable alternative to bleach is mouthwash, such as Listerine. It keeps bacteria from growing, and also provides another key ingredient to cut flower food---sugar.

Acidifying the Water

• Acid helps water move up the stem of cut flowers. Since the stem of the flower has to fight against gravity, slightly acidic water opens up the stem's pathways to allow the water to reach the blooms. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. of lemon juice, lime juice or a non-diet lemon-lime soda.

  Adding aspirin to cut flower water has been recommended for years, though many consider it to be an old wives tale. Chemically speaking, aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, will acidify the water, but should not be the only ingredient in a cut flower food recipe.

Sugar

• Sugar is what keeps cut flowers going. Sugar is their "food" so to speak, and it is not necessary to add if you used lemon-lime soda or mouthwash in acidifying and preventing bacteria. Add 1 tbsp. of plain table sugar to feed your bouquet of cut flowers.

Other Care Tips

• Changing the water and the cut flower food solution every two to three days will keep flowers looking their freshest. Keep them out of direct sunlight. It is also a good idea to keep them away from fruits, since fruits release gases as they oxidize, which can kill off cut flowers quickly.