Fresh flowers can add gorgeous colour to the home, and there are lots of ways to keep cut tulips looking fresh and healthy for longer
Tulips will last much longer with this trick(Image: Galina Zhigalova via Getty Images)
Fresh blooms can bring wonderful splashes of colour indoors, particularly during the gloomy winter period. I’m fond of dotting tulips around various rooms because they’re vibrant and attractive.
Yet I began noticing they were wilting rather rapidly, which prompted me to look into proper care techniques.
Numerous approaches exist to prolong flower freshness, from regularly changing the water to using the nutrient sachets supplied with bouquets. However, there’s one particular technique that specialists have consistently championed.
The team at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk recommended a simple 2p trick to extend the lifespan of freshly cut flowers.
A spokesperson for the company said: “No fancy food or expensive preservatives are required.”
All you need to do is pop a 2p coin into the base of your flower vase before introducing water and stems. I tend to add it before the liquid feed as well, according to the Express.
The expert added: “Unknown to many, they contain natural antimicrobial properties, which prevent bacteria’s growth, which causes blossoms like tulips to dry up and wilt.”
My present bunch of tulips has been flourishing for a fortnight, with probably another seven days left in them, I’d estimate.
This “handy trick” isn’t exclusive to tulips; it proves equally effective for varieties like roses.
My fresh tulips last for weeks when I add 1 everyday item into the vase(Image: Sophie Harris)
It’s advisable, though, to give the coin a thorough wash beforehand to eliminate any grime and germs, and alternative coins won’t deliver the same results.
I also snip the stems diagonally to enable better water uptake.
Alternative solutions involve using sugar and apple cider vinegar. GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk revealed: “This cupboard staple [sugar] can be used as a preservative to keep flowers looking healthy for longer.
“Three tablespoons of sugar should be dissolved in one litre of warm water.
“When filling the vase, the freshly cut stems should be covered by seven to 10 centimetres of prepared water.”
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