If you get flowers today – I’ll tell you how to make them last...

Cut flowers and roses are in abundance today...

...and you can do a few things to make them last a lot longer:

• Feed them. Those little packets that come with the bunch really do make a difference. If you didn’t get one, or didn’t add it, you can make your own with a few teaspoons of a lemon-lime soda and a teaspoon of bleach. Make some extra – you’ll be needing it.

• Change the water. You’ll want to do this every 3 days. Each time, clean the vase, cut the another inch of the stems, at an angle, under warm running water, add some more food, and rearrange.

• When the water level gets low – top it off with some warm water.

• Display your flowers in a cool place, away from direct sunlight and drafts. Avoid putting them near a window with strong sunlight, heating and cooling vents, and appliances that give off heat.

• Give flowers a "face-lift" by gently removing discolored or drooping petals to give them a fresh, just-received appearance even after several days.

• Keep your flowers away from ripening fruit. These give off ethylene gas, which shorten the life of cut flowers.

If your roses wilt, they can be revived. Submerge the entire rose under water, such as a sink or bathtub. In about 30 minutes to an hour, the rose will have absorbed enough water to become replenished. Recut, reefed and rearrange.