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Field and Garden: Keep your Valentine's bouquet looking fresh

It seems that just yesterday we turned over our calendars and began the new year. Now Valentine’s Day is upon us, and our thoughts turn to cards, chocolate and of course, flowers.

Last year, 22 percent of American’s bought fresh flowers or plants as gifts on Valentine’s Day. Red roses were the most popular choice, followed by pink roses and then white ones.

Although roses are the traditional flower to give at Valentine’s Day, there are other good options which will surely please any recipient.

My wife prefers a mixed bouquet of flowers to roses, whereas my mom would rather have an orchid plant.

Flowers make us feel good, and we can preserve those good feelings by extending the lifespan of a bouquet.

Here are some keys to maintaining a fresh-looking arrangement:

If the flowers aren’t in a vase, then it’s important to get them into water as soon as possible.

Fill a clean vase with warm water. Following the instructions on the label, mix into the water a packet of flower food (preservative) obtained from the florist.

If you don’t have flower food, then you can make your own using the recipe at the end of this article.

Remove plant leaves that will be below the water line in the vase. Under running water, cut about one inch off the bottom of the stems and then transfer the flowers to the vase as quickly as possible. Cutting the stems is important because air-bubbles form inside stems when they are cut in air.

The bubbles block the upward movement of water through water-conducting tissues.

Cutting off the bottoms of the stems gets water flow started again.

A slanted cut is preferred because it increases water uptake.

Keep the flowers cool and avoid placing them in direct sunlight.

Add fresh water daily. Warm water is best because it boosts uptake.

If the water turns cloudy, replace it immediately with fresh water.

If the stems are long, then removing an inch or two from the bottoms every day or two can be helpful.

A wilting rose can sometimes be revived by removing the stem from the vase, cutting an inch or two from the base and then submerging the entire flower in warm water for an hour or two.

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University of Missouri Extension horticulturalist David Trinklein offers this recipe for homemade flower food: one pint of lemon-lime soda pop (not diet), one pint of water, one teaspoon of antiseptic mouthwash such as Listerine or Scope and one to two drops of dishwashing liquid.

Trinklein explains that the sugar in the soda pop feeds the flower. The mouthwash and the acidic nature of pop both inhibit the growth of bacteria which clog watertransferring tissues in the stem. The soap breaks the surface tension of the water, making it easier for water to move upward through the stem.

If you have questions about caring for flowers or houseplants, please contact me in the Extension office (652-2581).