Life Science Projects for Preserving Cut Flower Freshness

Comparing Additives

• There are many claims that adding different substances to flowers will help increase the shelf life of cut flowers. Test this hypothesis by designing a project wherein you have identical cups of water with one flower (use the same type in each cup) and include additives to the labeled cups so you can observe and compare the longevity of the different additives. Use ingredients, such as sugar, vinegar, crushed acetominephen, soda and salt, to your flower cups. This project will help you ascertain if these tips for freshness are just myths or are legitimate.

Flower Stems

• Flower stems are how the plants get their nutrients from the water, so how they are processed and treated before display can make a difference in keeping cut flowers fresh. Gather several freshly cut flowers and experiment with different cutting techniques before putting them in identical and labeled cups of water. Plantea.com recommends cutting the flower stems at a diagonal angle before plunging it under the water. Also experiment with cutting straight across the stem and making both cuts under water rather than in the open air.

Types of Water

• The types of water and the quality can vary from location to location, so perform a study into the effect of different types of water on preserving the flower freshness. Create cups with tap water, well water, mineral water and raw water (used for watering gardens and lawns) and add identical stems to each cup. Use an inexpensive bloom, such as carnations or daisies, to keep the costs of your life science experiment minimal.

Countering Bacteria

• Bacteria living in the vase water where you are keeping your flowers can be a leading culprit in shortening the life of your fresh cut flowers. According to "Reader's Digest," adding 1/4 teaspoon of bleach or a few drops of vodka will help fight bacteria in your flower arrangements. Test this theory by comparing flowers in water with vodka, one with bleach and a control of plain water. Check your flowers daily and take notes on what you observe. Be sure change out the water solutions every two days, but do not change the amount of additives in each glass.