Salt and cut flowers

When you receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers, you will most likely be impressed by their superb beauty and perfection. The last thing that anyone wants is for their flowers to wilt prematurely. This is why we condition and care for our bouquets from the moment they arrive. One popular technique used to help cut flowers last longer is the addition of salt to the vase water.

When a plant is growing in the soil, the roots absorb nutrients and water by means of a process called osmosis. Osmosis involves the movement of particles based on the pressure of the various environment. Particles tend to move from high pressure to low pressure environments. When you add salt to the vase, this draws the fluid out of the plant cells. This helps lower the pressure inside the stem and encourages osmosis. It’s much like the way we feel thirsty after eating something salty.

Salt can also help keep bacteria growth at bay. Bacteria grows in the water and lives on any part of the flower that is below the water. Bacteria cannot be completely stopped but there are some things you can do to slow it down. Bacteria, like plants, also uses osmosis for absorbing food and water. By adding salt to the water, it will draw water from the bacteria cells and this will cause them to struggle for survival or even die.

Table salt can be used if you don’t have Epsom salts. The latter is a better option because they contain additional nutrients and are not just pure salt. This means that the flower stems will enjoy the benefits of these nutrients and this will help them last longer. In some cases, adding lemon lime soda along with salt can be even more beneficial. If you buy a flower preserve, you should check the package and make sure that it contains salt or sodium chloride.

Remember to always follow the package instructions. Adding too little will make the mixture ineffective while adding too much can be harmful. Homemade preserves can also be effective if you follow the recipe and use the appropriate quantities. Every time you change the water in the vase or top it up, you will need to add some more flower preserve in order to maintain the right pH and keep your flowers happy.