Nothing beautifies a home like fresh flowers.  Although we endeavor to provide the freshest flowers on the North Shore, because it is a perishable product sometimes when you buy a fresh bouquet today, it may be drooping within several days. The only problem is how quickly flowers may fade. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way. By caring for your flowers properly, you can maximize their lifespan and lengthen your enjoyment of your blooms. What’s the secret to a longer life for fresh flowers? How can you keep flowers from fading at home?

To help answer these questions, here are some tips to try directly from the experts at Jan Channon Flowers:

1. Give your buds a drink — of soda or vodka. Add about ¼ cup of your favorite soda or a few drops of some clear alcohol with 1 teaspoon of sugar to the water in your flowers’ vase. If it’s a glass vase, stick to clear sodas such as 7Up or Sprite. Believe it or not, the sugar will feed your flowers and help them last a bit longer. The vodka also offers a little antibacterial power to protect against early aging. Both options can help prolong the life of the buds in your home.
2. Splash some apple cider vinegar in the vase. Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar with the water in your vase, and let this fuel your flowers for a while. The extra nutrients from the sugar-vinegar mixture nourish your blooms and keep them vibrant longer. (Note: For best results, replenish this mixture every few days.)
3. Crush an aspirin. Put a crushed aspirin in the water of your vase before adding flowers, and you can extend their fresh factor. Replace the mixture every few days to keep the blooms from wilting.
4. Bust bacteria with bleach. Mix in ¼ cup of bleach — or a few drops of bleach with 1 teaspoon of sugar — for each quart of vase water you use, and you can keep your water fresh and unclouded. Because the bleach works against bacteria that can harm your flowers, it can help them look lovely longer.
5. The most important of all: cut your flower stems every few days, giving them fresh clean water with one of the  above solutions.

Whether you love the luxury of fresh flowers or you’re looking to make your home more welcoming to family and guests, displaying stunning blooms is always a good idea. Use the five tips above to make the most of your flowers at home and keep enjoying their beauty day after day!