Keep Your Flowers Fresh For Longer With This Simple Plastic Wrap Hack

Food isn't the only thing plastic wrap can keep fresh. It's also great for extending the life of your fresh-cut bouquets. This simple trick will help keep your flowers looking bright and perky until they are ready to be placed in a vase.

This hack comes to us from Cling Wrap King Reynolds and works great if you're cutting flowers from your garden and want them to hold up while you transport them to a friend's house or your place of work. All you'll need is your plastic wrap, water, paper towels, and flowers. If using store-bought flowers, you'll want to grab a pair of scissors so you can snip off the ends. Be sure to cut them on a diagonal angle for optimal water absorption.

Take about two squares or more of a paper towel and fold them over on each other. Next, wet them with cold water. Wring out your paper towel so that it's not dripping. Place the bouquet in the middle of your paper towels, fold the sides, and roll the paper towel over your bouquet. Finally, wrap it tightly with cling wrap. The plastic should keep it together, but you can secure it with a rubber band if you want to make sure it's secure. You can also wrap it with some ribbon to hide the paper towel, or you can store the end inside a Ziploc bag to protect yourself against the moisture of the moist paper. 

If you need your plastic-wrapped bouquet to last a little longer, The Savvy Age suggests placing them in the refrigerator until you're ready to deliver them or place them in a vase. This method should keep your flowers fresh for at least 24 to 48 hours. Your cut flowers should, however, be placed directly in water as soon as possible.

Other methods for extending the life of your flowers include trimming the stems. This should be done on an angle every two to three days. You'll also want to make sure your flowers aren't exposed to direct sunlight or drafts, like getting blasted by an air conditioner. This could cause them to dehydrate and wilt.

The water in your vase should be kept at room temperature and changed every two to three days. This will halt the growth of bacteria that can block your flowers from soaking up enough water. Remove any leaves that get submerged in your vase will also prevent bacteria growth.

Well-fed flowers last longer. That's why most store-bought bouquets come with a packet of food. This should be added to your water according to the directions on the packaging. Make sure you stir it in so that it's completely dissolved in the water. But that isn't the only additive you can give your flowers to extend their life.

Before pouring your water into your vase, try adding 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with the same amount of sugar. The sugar acts as flower food, while the vinegar has antibacterial properties. Lifehacker reports that aspirin is another bacteria killer. Crush up a single aspirin and pour the powder into the vase water.

Another way to promote vitality in your flowers is putting a copper penny at the bottom of the vase. Adding ¼ cup of clear soda to your water will also feed your flowers since it has sugar in it. Placing your vase of flowers in the refrigerator at night is another great way to preserve them for as long as possible.