Flower power

Beyond just water, flowers need an energy boost, too. This usually comes from store-bought additives like Floralife powder, but if you don't have time to run out to the store, why not make it yourself? A simple solution is to take 1 quart warm water and add 1 teaspoon sugar (for that aforementioned energy boost), about half a lemon's worth of juice (the acid helps stems absorb nutrients — if you don't have this, copper from a couple pennies does the same thing) and just a couple drops of bleach (it wont kill the buds, but it will kill the bacteria and make washing the vase easier later). This easy at-home solution will make your blooms last days longer, and who doesn't want that! For the potted plants in house, there is another easy at-home solution for fertilizer: epsom salt. The magnesium and sulfur from the salt makes leaves grow bushier and encourages flowering plants to bloom. Make a solution of 2 tablespoons salt to a gallon of water, and feed about about once month.