Flower Power

As we will be celebrating Mother's Day on Sunday, May 10, I'm sure a lot of women will be receiving beautiful bouquets of flowers from their loved ones. As beautiful as they are, they will soon dry out, but not as quickly as we think if we follow these simple steps. Read on to find out how to make your blooms' life longer.

TIP #1
Put flowers in a cool location. Keep them out of direct sunlight, and away from heat, electrical appliances and drafts.

TIP #2
Cut stems at a 45-degree angle to ensure maximum water absorption. For woody stems, use clippers; for other flowers, use sharp scissors or knives. Also, cut stems under water if possible.

TIP #3
Add sugar and aspirin for survival. Sugar nourishes the flowers while aspirin helps them absorb water. The simple formula? For every quart of water, add two aspirins and a teaspoon of sugar. You can also add a few drops of bleach to reduce bacteria.

TIP #4
Remove leaves that fall under the waterline of your vase. This is because leaves rot when submerged, encouraging algae and bacteria to breed, thus shortening the life of your blooms.

TIP#5
Check your water level everyday to make sure that each of the stem ends still reach the water. Re-cut stems every five days.

Hope these help! Advance Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there!