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Article snippet: If you’ve received a bouquet from that special someone this Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or any other special occasion, you may be looking for ways to extend the gesture as long as possible. Just like hangover cures, there are many theories about the best method for keeping flowers fresh. I wanted to find out if one method reigned above all. So I asked some flower experts and tried my own (not very scientific) homegrown experiment. To start, I bought nine stalks of chrysanthemums from a grocery store and put each stalk in a clean glass bottle with about 12 ounces of warm water and the following common treatments: • Water alone • Water and putting flowers in a refrigerator every night • Sprite (¼ cup) and water • Vinegar (1 tbsp.), sugar (1 tbsp.) and water • Vodka (⅛ tsp.), sugar (1 tsp.) and water • Aspirin (1 crushed) and water • Penny, sugar (1 tsp.) and water • Bleach (2 drops), sugar (1 tsp.) and water • Flower food (½ packet) and water There’s some science behind these methods. But a word of caution before you try one: That little packet of flower food that came with the flowers may be your best bet. It likely has the right blend of antibacterial agents, a sugar source for food and an acidifier that will extend the life of your arrangement. “The problem with home remedies is it’s difficult to get the proportions right — put in too much bleach, and you might kill your flowers,” said Mary Hockenberry Meyer, a professor of horticulture at the University of M... Link to the full article to read more