Flowers are one of the most popular Valentine’s gifts with over 32% of Americans purchasing them for a loved one each year. Once you bring the flowers home, however, the challenge is keeping them fresh and alive for as long as possible.  There are several myths surrounding this topic, but we have found two simple tried and true methods for keeping your Valentines bouquet around a little longer this year.

1. Refrigerator The easiest way to keep your bouquet looking brand new is to simply place it in the refrigerator at night, and then bring it back out in the morning. This will help keep your flowers looking freshly cut for over a week.
2. Vinegar and Sugar A surprising solution to keeping your bouquet looking new for longer is to place the flowers in a solution of water, apple cider vinegar, and sugar.  You will want to start with two cups of lukewarm water and then add a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and a tablespoon of sugar.  The sugar helps feed the flowers, and the vinegar keeps bacteria from forming on the flowers.
3. Flower Food The final, and most obvious way to keep flowers alive longer, is to trim the ends of the stem and put them in a vase with lukewarm water and the provided flower food packet.