Debby's tips for working with fresh flowers After picking fresh flower,

 

• place them in a bucket of cold water for at least six hours. Allowing the flowers to condition will help them last longer once they are arranged.  

• When arranging the flowers, be sure to remove any leaves from the stems below the water line.  

• Once the flowers are arranged, add either a tablespoon of 7 UP to the water, or a drop of lemon juice and a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. This mixture will help feed the flowers and keep the bacteria down

 

 

 

• This spring, recycle your cracked eggshells by using them as adorable — and earth-friendly — starter pots. Just poke a few drainage holes in the bottom of a clean, empty shell with a needle, fill with soil, then sow and tend seeds according to packet instructions. Once your seedlings are ready to be transplanted outside, you can even work the calcium-rich shards right into the dirt.