\nThe following is according to my understanding.<\/p>\n
\nWhen I was a kid, I recall someone putting a cut flower in a vase with some water, then adding some sugar. They did the same for the Christmas tree, which was live. I asked them why, and they said the sugar fed whatever cut plant’s stem was in the water. It made sense.<\/p>\n
Years later, I noticed that cut flowers from a florist would come with a pouch of flower food. I’ve always wondered what was in the flower food; today I found out.<\/p>\n
\nIt seems homemade flower food can be made from a litre of water, two teaspoons of lemon juice, a teaspoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of bleach. The bleach surprised me, but it turns out that it’s used to disinfect the water. Apparently, a big threat to a cut flower is bacteria or fungus infecting it.<\/p>\n
\nSince bleach is basic (alkaline), the acid in the lemon juice likely brings the pH back to an acceptable level.\n<\/p>\n
\nInteresting, eh?<\/p>\n
\nSource:<\/p>\n
thespruce.com: How to Make Your Own Flower Food<\/a><\/p>\n thespruce.com: Average pH Level of Bleach, Borax, and Other Common Cleaning Supplies<\/a><\/p>\nJack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane,<\/a> Campbell River, BC.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Self-tutoring about maintaining cut flowers: the tutor mentions a discovery. The following is according to my understanding. When I was a kid, I recall someone putting a cut flower in a vase with some water, then adding some sugar. They …<\/p>\n