After going to all that trouble to find plastic-free, cut flowers  you will want them to last as long as possible. Here are some tips from Edna Thompson. Not entirely plastic-free as cans of soda are plastic lined and asprins are plastic packed but massively plastic reduced and no need to buy any new product.

Tricks to Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

Fresh flowers add flavor, aroma and energy to every home. But they don’t last long. If you want to keep your birthday bouquets fresh longer, you need to know a few things. The first major reason that cut flowers fade is that they do not get the nourishment they need once their stems are cut. As you know, soil is rich in nutrients that keep plants alive for a long time. When flowers are taken away from their habitat, they can no longer get nutrients from soil, and water can only keep them fresh for several hours to a couple of days. The second reason that flowers fade quickly after they are cut is bacteria. Over time your vase contents will attract bacteria. For this reason, what you need to do to enhance the longevity of your cut plants is to provide nutrients and to reduce the growth of bacteria to a minimum.

Here are a few tricks from Gardeners in Chelsea that will get you the best results. Read on.

Cider Vinegar

The first method to keep your cut flowers fresh as long as possible is to use apple cyder vinegar. Here is what to do. Before you put the flowers into a clean vase, fill it with water and add two tablespoons of sugar and two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Wait for the substances to dissolve and add the flowers. Now, in order to enhance their longevity, you need to change the water every other day. Don’t forget to add sugar and vinegar every time. The secret to this method is that apple cider vinegar prevents bacterial growth and protects cut flowers from fading too soon after that.

Aspirin

Fill a clean vase with water and add a crushed aspirin. Let is dissolve into the water before you add the flowers. Again, make sure to change the water every other day or every few days to ensure that the flowers are kept fresh and free from bacteria.

Sugar

Another way to go is to use sugar and white vinegar. Before you toss your cut flowers into the vase, be sure to add two tablespoons of white vinegar and three tablespoons of sugar. Add water and then the flowers. The water needs to cover up to four inches of the cut stems (10 centimeters). This mixture proves to be very powerful. While white vinegar prevents the growth of bacteria, sugar helps to nourish the cut flowers.

Vodka

Another clever way of keeping your flower arrangement fresh is to use vodka. Believe it or not, vodka can nourish your cut flowers as it offers antibacterial activity. As a matter of fact, any other clear spirit will work great too. Use one tablespoon of sugar and only a few drops of clear spirit or vodka to provide a bacteria-free environment for your cut flowers. Be sure to change the water every couple of days.

Soda

Here is our final suggestion. Instead of using sugar to keep your cut flowers at their best longer, grab a can of soda and fill a ¼ of cup with it. Then add the liquid to the vase water before you place the flowers. It’s best to use a clear soda, but other alternatives will work too.

Picking Your Own?

Do not cut them on a hot afternoon. Instead pick a cool early morning time to do this. Hope you enjoy your fresh flowers longer.

Because they are grown locally and packed on site, I bet you could get these UK grown flowers plastic free if you asked! Why would you want to buy UK flowers? Read more…

Organic Blooms If you love cut flowers, and care about where they come from and how they are grown, then a stunning bouquet of British cut flowers from Organic Blooms could be just what you’ve been looking for!
Organic Blooms is a Social Enterprise based just outside of Bristol. CLICK AND COLLECT Bouquets Available now

Champernhayes Flowers & Foliage is based in rural West Dorset where I grow and sell cut flowers and foliage. I love to forage from local hedgerows. I arrange flowers for weddings and events, as well as selling wholesale and to local businesses. My speciality is in scented woody ornamentals and foliage stems. I have an established perennial cutting garden and a newly fenced field which will be planted up in the autumn of 2014.

Or

These don’t have web pages but  are up on twitter.

Yorkshire Petals @Yorkshirepetals

Glorious home grown English country flowers offering varieties of bunches that are not available in most florists or supermarkets.

Elaine Parkinson @FelicityFarm

Growing and designing beautiful seasonal blooms for weddings, events and gift bouquets on our farm in Chorley