Cut flower arrangements add cheer to your spirits and colour to the dullest of rooms. If you want to keep your Valentine’s Day posies or graduation day bouquets blooming for many days, you can follow these tips from florists.

Most of the ingredients in the recipe to keep flowers fresh are common household items. But some are specially made items too like flower food.

Here is a list of additives that will keep a vase of freshly cut flowers blooming for several days:

• Soda: Don’t discard the last drops of soda in your home. Empty ¼ cup of soda into a vase filled with cut flowers. The blooms will last longer because of the sugar in the soda. If you have transparent vase, you can get a clear look using clear soda like 7-up or Sprite.

• Hair Spray: Just like it sets your hair, spritz of hair spray can help keep your flowers look fresher for a longer time. Stand a foot away from the bouquet and give a swift spray, just below the petals and the leaves.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: For everyone who wants their fresh cut flowers to keep blooming for a long time, here is a simple household solution: Combine 2 tbsps Apple cider vinegar with 2 tbsp sugar and add to vase water before placing flowers. Ensure that you replace the water with its additives, every few days for the longevity of the blooms.

• Vodka: The secret tip of keeping cut flowers fresh for the maximum possible time is to inhibit growth of bacteria and enhance nutrition from plain water. Add some drops of clear spirit like Vodka to the vase water to inhibit bacteria. Also, add 1 tsp of sugar. Change the water every other day, replacing the sugar and the vodka.

• Aspirin: A much tried and tested way to keep roses and other flowers fresh for a long time. Add a freshly crushed aspirin into the vase water before adding flowers. Change the water every few days with this additive.

• Bleach: For long lasting of freshly cut flowers, add ¼ tsp bleach per 1 litre (quart) of water in the vase. Another top recipe is to add 1 tsp sugar along with 3 drops of bleach into a quart or litre of water. This will prevent the water from turning cloudy and inhibit bacterial growth.

• Coins: You can make your fresh cut flowers last longer by adding a spoon of sugar and a copper penny to the water in the vase. The copper in the pennies will help the flowers last as it will act like an acidifier, which kills bacteria.

• Sugar: The most popular ingredient to keep flowers in full bloom. Make your own preservative: Mix 3 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp white vinegar per litre of warm water. While filling up the vase, ensure that the cut stems are covered by 3-4 inches of the preservative water. The sugar acts as a source of nourishment while vinegar inhibits bacterial growth.

• Listerine Anti-Septic: It kills bacteria like how it kills plaque. A cap full of mouth wash poured on day one will keep flowers blooming till day four.

• Flower Food:  Contains bio-cide to destroy bacteria, sugar to nourish blooms and acidifier to help stems drink water.

Now that you know how to keep your posy of flowers fresh, you can preserve the bouquet from others, who send flowers cheap and in perfect condition.