My aunt swore by using a drop of vodka in flower water

Tessa Garcia · 2026-03-21T02:00:13.555008+00:00

She ran a shop in Portland for 20 years and told me it keeps stems fresh longer than bleach. I tested it on a batch of tulips last month, splitting them between plain water, bleach water, and her vodka mix. The vodka ones actually wilted a day sooner. Has anyone found a better trick for tulips specifically?

jessereed6mo ago

What was your exact vodka to water ratio? I've heard it needs to be a very small amount, like a teaspoon per quart. Maybe the type of vodka matters too.

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michaelc466mo ago

The bleach trick is mostly about killing bacteria, not the vodka. I read a florist blog that said a tiny bit of lemon-lime soda works better for tulips, something about the sugar.

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mason_barnes4mo ago

Michael, the vodka to water ratio was about a teaspoon per quart just like you said.

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