Changed my mind about using bleach in flower water

I read online that a tiny bit of bleach keeps water clear and stops bacteria. I tried it with a bucket of white roses for a wedding last weekend, using a quarter teaspoon per gallon. Two days later, the stems looked burned and the petals had brown edges. I learned the hard way that even a little bleach is too harsh for delicate blooms. What do you all use to keep water fresh without hurting the flowers?

2 comments

2 Comments

dakota_rivera6d ago

Honestly I used to swear by the bleach trick too until it totally fried some peonies. Now I just change the water every other day and snip the stems a little.

ryan_hayes26d ago

You probably just used too much bleach. A single drop per gallon is the real trick, not a whole quarter teaspoon. That small amount fights the bacteria without touching the flowers.