Thursday, May 19, 2016

Some Birthday Hydrangeas




I adore hydrangeas.


I can't tell you how many times I've picked them up at the grocery store only to have them wilt like crazy the next day. 



I have dreams of big dried hydrangea blooms that last for months on end. 


It never failed. No matter what I tried they would wilt and I would weep.
Last week my team got me a gorgeous bouquet of hydrangeas for my birthday. 

Preventing Wilt in Hydrangeas


I was so afraid they would wilt. 

I'd read a post about how to keep them from wilting by Courtney on The French Country Cottage blog. 
Courtney suggested alum.
Alum is a compound made up of aluminum and potassium. 
 You can find it on the baking aisle at the grocery store. 
Why is it in the baking aisle? 
 It is used in baking powder and for pickling.
Adding this compound to the vase is supposed to prevent wilting. 
I was completely skeptical. I believed it worked for Courtney but I really didn't think it would work for me. 
One if them had already started wilting. 



You know what? 
It worked! The alum reversed the wilted bloom. 
The other blooms didn't begin to wilt.



I'm thrilled. 
They have looked amazing for a week. 
Now that I know this trick, I will start buying hydrangeas again.
Have a great day.
Katie 
Linking with,




7 comments :

  1. Good Morning,
    Well I love Hydrangeas too, they rank right up there with peonies for me.
    I actually have 4 blooming plants right now and I am going to try this tip!
    Yours are lovely, sounds like you had a nice Birthday, and I am wishing you a belated one!
    Great to have you share this with us at TOHOT!
    Jemma

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  2. I remember reading that blog post, but I never bought the alum. I have some beautiful hydrangeas in my kitchen right now. I will put alum on the shopping list!

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  3. In our family we celebrate a birthday week so its not to late for me to wish you a VERY Happy Birthday! I always re cut the stems under water (to reduce air bubbles that lead to drooping heads) in roses and hydrangeas. They then generally last about a week. This was a trick I leaned while working for a florist in high school. :)

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  4. Una decoraciĆ³n floral muy alegre y hogareƱa!!!
    Saludos.

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  5. Well I'll be! I'm going to buy some alum. Sometimes you buy hydrangeas at the grocery and remove them from the snazzy wrapper to find that they are already wilted. Alum to the rescue. ;)

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  6. Another trick is to dunk the flower in water when it starts to wilt. Let it drain standing up (in a vase) and it will become pretty again. I was skeptical but when I worked for the bridal florist they told me to do this and it worked.

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