That advice from a veteran florist about using soda in my hydrangeas was actually right

My mentor, this older lady named Carol who runs a shop in St. Louis, told me to add a splash of Sprite to the water for hydrangeas. I thought she was nuts for like a year. Last month, I finally tried it after a wedding order where the blooms kept drooping on me. They perked right up and lasted a full 4 days longer than usual. Has anyone else found a weird trick like this that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

ward.jamie1mo ago

Whoa hold up. The Sprite thing works but not for the reason most people think. It's not the sugar that helps, it's the citric acid. Hydrangeas are picky about water pH and the acid makes them drink better. Too much sugar actually feeds bacteria and can make them rot faster. So you're partly right but also kinda lucky it worked out. A better trick is just a tiny bit of lemon juice or vinegar. Same acid effect without the sugar problem.

daniel_gonzalez1mo ago

Totally agree @ward.jamie, I learned that the hard way with my hydrangeas last summer.

viola_lopez301mo ago

Huh, I used to be one of those people that rolled my eyes at the Sprite trick. Figured it was just an old wives' tale, you know? But after my hydrangeas kept flopping over at a family reunion last summer, I got desperate and tried it. Had the same result as you, they perked right up. And @daniel_gonzalez, you might be onto something with the lemon juice idea, I might give that a shot next time to avoid the sticky mess. It is pretty wild how a tiny change in the water can make or break a whole bouquet.