How to Keep Cut Flowers Longer

[Music Playing] David Epstein: I am David Epstein Epstein, welcome to Growing Wisdom. We are here today with Susan Lane of Flowers by the Depot and we are talking about how to preserve your fresh cut flowers that you may get from a florist. We are going to sort of pick three different types of flowers and tell us how to care for. Susan Lane: Okay, first of all you have tulips when you bring them home from the shop, you would just cut them put them in cold water and turn them daily, because tulips grows towards the light. We actually leave our horns on the roses. David Epstein: I have heard, you would suppose to take the leaves of to go on to the water? Susan Lane: To prevent bacteria. David Epstein: Okay, and do I cut them when I get home? Susan Lane: Air will get in the stem and seal it. To open up the flow again, you want to cut off at least a quarter of inch to allow the water to go up the stem. If you are in a hurry to get the heads to open, you would put them in to warm water. If you want them to last longer, you would put them in cool water, cool to cold water. You cut them, just once. Something that people do often is that they cut them daily David Epstein: Right. Susan Lane: Which will send to much water to the head and actually cause them to drew. So, if you want your roses to last longer, you just top off the vase with fresh water everyday. We also use the preservatives that we give all the costumers. But, you can also use your own products at home, which is lemon juice and sugar. A lot of people also will use an aspirin as they are doing in their Christmas tree. And, occasionally, we encourage people especially with exotic flowers to put a little dish soap and it cuts out the bacteria we also have spray roses which come multiple heads on the stem. Alstroemeria will last a good 10 to 14 days. The foliage is just drains the nutrients from the blooms or the flowers. So, you would take off what you feel you want to take off David Epstein: How often should you change the water? Susan Lane: Not more than once a week. David Epstein: Once a week or so Susan Lane: Top of the days, add a little extra every day, and maybe once a week just change the water completely. David Epstein: Okay. Susan Lane: The more you cut it, say two or three times a week the longer it will last. You just want them to keep them at room temperature with out direct light and without bringing heat to the vase. David Epstein: Alright, so we have talked about tulips, roses, alstroemeria, and three different types of flowers. Wonderful flowers for gifts, special occasions like Valentines Day and birthdays, things like that. Susan Lane, thank you very you very much for all your great knowledge, we appreciate it and we want you to come back every week for all of our hints, tips and helps here at GrowingWisdom.com [Music Playing]