Tried using a bit of lemon-lime soda in the water for some wilting gerbera daisies from a Friday wedding

Honestly, they perked up overnight and looked fresh for the Sunday brunch pickup. Has anyone else tried this with other delicate blooms?

4 comments

4 Comments

vera_johnson93mo agoMost Upvoted

What makes the lemon lime soda work better than the ginger ale? I always heard the sugar helps but flat pop just makes a mess. Maybe the acid in the citrus does something extra for the stems. I stick to plain water with a tiny bit of bleach to keep things clean.

miles_burns3mo ago

Wish I'd known that trick before I tried reviving my roses with flat ginger ale. They just got sticky.

pat_jenkins3mo ago

So the bleach doesn't kill the flowers?

hill.margaret1mo ago

Gotta jump in here because the bleach tip isn't quite right for delicate flowers... it can actually burn the stem ends and make things worse. You're better off with just a tiny drop of bleach in a big vase if anything, but skip it for gerberas. The lemon-lime soda works because the sugar feeds the flowers and the citric acid helps keep the water acidic, which slows down bacteria growth without damaging the stems like bleach can. For gerberas especially, you want the sugar to help them perk up and the acid to keep the water fresh. Flat soda does get sticky though, so I always use it fresh and just let it sit for a minute before adding the stems. Your aunt's trick sounds solid honestly, just go light on the soda so you don't end up with a sticky mess.