What about those little powder cellophane packets that come with flowers?
They contain a floral preservative that is nourishing, moisturizing agent and antibacterial treatment. Used correctly, flower preservatives will greatly increase the life of freshly cut flowers in the vase.
Food: the food that provides the preservative is sugar. Plants produce sugar through photosynthesis from water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight. When a flower is cut from the plant, photosynthesis is no longer an option for sugar production. Sugar is necessary to continue the development of the bud until it becomes a flower. With this sugar, the flower will perform better in terms of size, color, and vase life.
Hydration: Although cut flowers will not photosynthesize, they will perspire. That is, the stems absorb water and release it into the air through the stomata. A turgid flower is a hydrated flower. A wilted flower is one in which the cells do not have their full amount of water. The outer ring of the flower stalk, just below the bark, is made up of small tubes or vessels. This group of vessels or vasculature is responsible for transporting the water from the roots, or vase in this situation, to the leaves and flowers. Water adheres to itself and, in general, tends to creep up the stem due to the continuous evaporation of water through the pores of the flower and leaves. However, when a flower has dehydrated during the normal course of postharvest and shipping, the chemistry needs a boost. When the pH of a solution is more acidic, the molecules are more hydrophilic … or tend to stick more. Therefore, a good preservative includes an agent to lower the pH of the solution, which promotes hydration. It is usually a mild acid like citric acid.
Control Bacteria – The water in the vase or container can quickly turn into bacteria soup. All that is needed are a few loose bits of plant tissue and some dormant bacteria. Add a little sugar from the preservative and you’ve got a recipe for cloudy, smelly water. The problem is not only aesthetic. Bacteria in the water will form plugs on the flower stem, preventing water from flowing through the flower stem. A good floral preservative contains an antibacterial agent to prevent all of this from happening.
Here’s an ugly secret about these packages. Most of the packets are 5 gram packets that make one pint of solution. Most average vases hold at least one liter of water. If you don’t follow the instructions for mixing the vase solution and end up making a solution that is too weak, you may be providing enough sugar to grow bacteria, while not providing enough antibacterial agents to stop growth. This is a case where clean water without preservatives would be better than a poorly mixed solution. As soon as you notice that the water in your vase has started to get cloudy, it’s time to dump the water, rinse the stems, cut them well, and put them back in the clean vase with fresh water. This will only double the life of your flowers.
Unfortunately, some flower distributors believe that the only thing that matters is the initial perception of the consumer. They believe that the most important factor when choosing a preservative package to distribute with your flowers is price. They will not spend the extra three or five cents to provide the 10 gram package that must be provided to them. Instead, they believe that the consumer will be satisfied with any package because they don’t know any better. That shortsighted view means that the general consumer perception of flowers is that they don’t last as long as they should and the water gets dirty and smelly very quickly. In the long term, these consumers may opt for gift ideas other than flowers, and this hurts the flower industry as a whole.
As a consumer, you should insist on the right preservative. It is worth the investment if you need to purchase an additional pack or two when purchasing your flowers. You can double the life of your flowers!