Aspirin for Cut Roses

Everyone wants to keep a bouquet as long as possible to admire its beauty and amazing fragrance. Many of us have probably already heard that aspirin added to water prolongs roses’ life. This is indeed the case. Aspirin is added for a couple of reasons - an aspirin solution disinfects the water and nourishes the rose stems.

Before doing this, take into account:

• correct pruning of the stems
• water quality
• the material of the vase made of and its size
• the environment the bouquet will stand on.

Roses and Aspirin

Before adding aspirin to water, it is better to grind it with a rolling pin or in a special mortar to dissolve it faster. You will need about 2-3 standard acetylsalicylic acid tablets per liter of liquid. Make sure aspirin has completely dissolved in water, then put roses’ stems in it. Acetylsalicylic acid disinfects water, preventing decay processes. Aspirin for roses, as it were, preserves the flower, prolonging its life. You can add a shot of vodka to the water as a disinfectant.

It is recommended to change the water in the vase every day, adding aspirin in new water again. In this case, it is better to wash the stems and cut them by 1-2 centimeters daily. 

Ways to Reanimate Roses

Any flowers, after a while, bow their heads and wither. However, this is not a reason to get upset and throw away the bouquet, as it can be brought back to life. 

It will take time and patience to save a purchased rose, but it will be worth the effort. You will see how the wilting queen of flowers will raise its buds, spread its leaves and turn into a fresh, as if recently cut, beauty.

We want to tell you about three ways to revive roses:

1. Revive roses with the help of aspirin and sugar

When you bring the flowers out of the frost, let them sit in the wrapper for 15-20 minutes to allow them to adapt to the warmth. Now we proceed to the rescue.

1. Mix cold tap water and boiling water in a container. Determine the proportions by eye. Dip your hand in the water. The optimal water temperature is lukewarm.
   
   
2. Mix aspirin and a tablespoon of sugar or minerals into the water. This will disinfect the water and nourish it with trace elements.
   
   
3. Spray flowers regularly with a spray bottle.
   
   
4. Place the vase with the bouquet overnight in a cool, dark place.
   
   
5. Flowers will come to life by morning.

This method will save flowers that are only slightly frostbitten. If they have been in the cold for a long time, they can hardly be reanimated. If it's cold outside, don't risk it and order delivery. Then you will definitely be sure that the bouquet will not freeze.

2. Bath to prolong the life of roses

When roses bought in the store dry up, they need to be watered. Pour cold water into a tub or deep container and lower the flowers overnight. You can't dip the buds; otherwise, the petals will quickly turn black. Make a foam float for the flowers. Punch holes in it and insert the stems into them. The roses will spend the whole night in the bath, soaking in moisture, and then stand fresh for about a week.

3. Bring roses back to life with boiling water

 The method with hot water is quite extreme, so we recommend using it when the roses have definitely hung their heads, then you have nothing to lose. If everything works out, the flowers will live another 3-5 days.

1. Boil water and dip the stems in one inch for 30 seconds. This will remove any air pockets in the stem and let the water get to the bud.
2. Prepare in advance a vase to put the reanimated roses in. 

What to Use Instead of Aspirin? 

There are some other ways to make roses last longer:

• Crushed activated carbon
• A pinch of crystals of potassium permanganate or citric acid.

The following supplements help the plant to compensate for the lack of nutrients:

• Specialized store preservatives (Krizal, etc.)
• Sugar with vinegar (1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar per 1 liter of water).

How long roses will stay in a vase directly depends on the quality of the water. Utilize distilled water, and if only tap water is available, filter it for at least three hours, and then add substances to the water for roses.

If you bought a fresh bouquet and used rose resuscitation methods several times, they will last more than 10 days and delight you with their subtle sweet aroma for a month.

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