Making your own flower food is a great way to extend the life of your fresh flowers. Flower food provides essential nutrients and helps prevent the growth of bacteria, allowing your blooms to stay vibrant and healthy for a longer time.

Making Flower Food in Your Own Home

When we put our cut flowers into a vase of water on our kitchen table, give them as a gift, or use them to fill a wedding venue, the preservation of what we just grew is important to us. Cutting plants from our garden means we don’t get a flower food packet included in the deal! This has led me to turn to 4 trusty, common household ingredients to make my flower preservative.

I have found success in using a mix of vinegar, sugar, bleach, and water to keep our fresh-cut flowers at their peak for as long as possible. This concoction of just a few ingredients found in your pantry is the key to keeping your flowers blooming, beautiful, and fresh. Check out the flowers that thrive with our flower food: Wedding Flowers and Fresh Flower Share.

Looking for a Powdered Flower Food Recipe and want one that’s easier to store? Let me redirect you to our other flower food recipe here

Why You’ll Love Making Homemade Flower Food

Maybe you clicked on this blog to answer your question “What if my flowers didn’t come with flower food?”. Whether you are here to make this DIY flower food a staple in your house or are missing the little packets that usually come with your bouquet, this recipe will land you with your floral preservative in no time!

I love that the simple ingredients in this homemade flower food recipe are household items. Plus, keeping your flowers fresh for longer saves you from having to frequent the local grocery store for new blooms (aka saving time and money)!

How is each Ingredient in Flower Food Beneficial?

Besides prolonging the life of cut flowers, what is the benefit of using sugar, white vinegar, and bleach? 

Sugar

In a flower’s regular nutrient cycle, glucose is needed as an energy source. Using sugar in flower food gives the flowers the nutrients they need to keep growing.

White Vinegar

Vinegar manages and maintains the flowers’ pH level and the pH of the water. I choose to use vinegar and make my flower food without lemon juice or citric acid. Some recipes will call for tablespoons of lemon juice – both are effective in fighting off bacteria.

Bleach

Adding bleach to your flower food is optional. However, it kills off bacteria, fungi, and microorganisms that block the flower stems and prohibit growth.

Flower Food Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon bleach (optional)
• 1 quart (approximately 1 liter) warm water

Steps to make Homemade Flower Food

1. Clean your vase: Before preparing the flower food, make sure your vase is thoroughly cleaned. Wash it with warm, soapy water, and rinse it well to remove any residue from previous flower arrangements.

2. Mix the ingredients: In a measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the warm water, white vinegar, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. If you choose to use bleach, add it to the mixture. Bleach helps prevent bacterial growth, but it is optional.

3. Fill the vase: Pour the flower food mixture into your clean vase. Ensure that it’s enough to submerge the stems of your flowers without overflowing.

4. Trim the stems: Before arranging your flowers in the vase, trim about an inch off the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle. This will create a fresh cut and improve water uptake.

5. Arrange the flowers: Place your freshly trimmed flowers into the vase with the prepared flower food solution. Make sure all the stems are submerged in the liquid.

6. Display the flowers: Find a suitable location for your vase with fresh flowers. Keep it away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and drafts, as these factors can shorten the lifespan of cut flowers.

7. Replace the vase water: Every 2-3 days, empty the vase, discard the old flower food solution, and rinse the vase thoroughly. Prepare a fresh batch of flower food using the same recipe, and return the flowers to the vase with the new solution.

By following these steps and changing the flower food solution regularly, you can help keep your fresh flowers looking vibrant and healthy for a longer period. Enjoy your beautiful blooms with a longer vase life!

To Make a Gallon Jug of Our Favorite Flower Food:

If you want to be extra efficient, I suggest making a gallon jug of this flower food to keep handy. This about quadruples the original recipe so pour about 4 cups from the gallon each time you refresh the water.

Ingredients for one Gallon of Flower Food

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp bleach
• 3.75 quarts of warm water

You can mix the ingredients right in the gallon jug you are storing it in, just make sure the sugar is dissolved!

Important Tips

• Along with the flower food, it’s important to frequently cut the flower stems as well. Cut stems make it easier for the plants to absorb water and nutrients 

• Remove leaves that are touching the water

• Let your flowers sit in a cooler spot that is away from direct sunlight/ a direct heat source. Heat will dry them out.

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Questions People are asking about Flower Food for Cut Flowers

What temperature water is best for cut flowers?

Controlling water temperature is another way to help extend the life of your cut flowers. Lukewarm water to warm water is recommended – this helps the flowers absorb the water and nutrients more easily.

What kind of sugar can you use for flowers?

For your fresh bouquets to flourish, it is recommended to use white granulated sugar. Artificial sugar or artificial sweeteners will not give your flowers the glucose energy they require.

How do I extend the life of my fresh flowers?

Besides the use of flower food, there are more ways to lengthen the life of your flowers and things to look for when acquiring your flowers. Check out a more extensive list in my “How to Extend the life of your Fresh Flowers” here.

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