When it comes to taking care of cut flowers, many people think that all they need to do is give them fresh water.

While fresh was is essential for keeping your flowers looking beautiful, there is another important factor to consider – what to use as food for cut flowers. Just like you need to eat and drink, so do your cut flowers!

Providing your flowers with the right nutrition will not only help them stay beautiful for longer, but it will also help protect them from wilting and other issues.

To help your flowers look their best , here are some tips on what to use as DIY food for cut flowers.

1. Use The Free Flower Food Packet That Came With The Flowers

That packet the comes with the flowers is what florists use to keep the flowers fresh in transit. It is designed to keep flowers in a somewhat suspended state so they are ready to sell. And it will help keep them in that condition when you use that packet. 

That packet is an easy and convenient way to feed your cut flowers.  These packets are designed to be mixed with water to create a nutrient–rich solution. That free pack will start you off but don’t expect it to last long so be prepared to provide more nutrients when you change the water (which should be every 1-3 days). 

2. Make A Homemade Flower Food

If you don‘t have any flower food packets on hand, you can also try to make your own flower food at home. All you need are a few common household ingredients such as sugar and bleach. Mix these together in a container and use the solution to fill your vase.

Here is a basic recipe that should help you maintain your flowers with simple ingredients you have at home:

Ingredients: 

1/2 teaspoon sugar 

1/4 teaspoon household bleach 

1 gallon room temperate water

Instructions: In a clean, 1–gallon container, mix together the sugar and household bleach. Slowly stir in the room temperature water. Cut the flowers stems so they have a clear path to take in water and nutrients then place the cut flowers in the mixture. 

The sugar provides nutrients and the bleach works to keep bacteria under control. This will give flowers the basic conditions they need to survive. 

Change the water every 1-3 days depending on the water in your area. If you have “hard” water you might want to consider using filtered water for your flowers.  Repeat this process as needed.

This homemade flower food will provide most of the basic benefits as store–bought packets, but at a fraction of the cost.

Bonus DIY Ideas

Milk As A DIY Food For Cut Flowers

Believe it or not, milk can be used to feed cut flowers. The proteins and other nutrients found in milk can help keep your flowers looking healthy and beautiful. Again, you’ll need bleach to kill bacteria here. 

Just mix a small amount of milk with water and a few drops of beach and use this solution to fill your vase.

Honey As A DIY Food For Cut Flowers

Honey is another great option for feeding your cut flowers. The sugars in honey help provide the energy your flowers need to stay healthy. Just mix a teaspoon of honey with a liter of water and  a few drops of bleach and use this solution to fill your vase. 

These DIY food ideas for cut flowers are not perfect but they are great solutions that are better than plain water and should certainly get your flowers to live longer than just plain water. 

Want to take the guesswork out of caring for your cut flowers and make them really last? 

Check out Flower Boosters.