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Water Quality:
The most essential (and the most overlooked) factor affecting flower vase life is water
quality. Cut flowers need clean, pure water, and not all tap water is suitable for
flowers. As examples; Sodium, present in high concentrations in soft water, is
toxic to roses and carnations. Fluoride, added to drinking water for dental health,
is harmful to gebera, gladiolus and freesia. In many areas, drinking water contains high
levels of minerals. These dissolved minerals will block the flower stems and prevent
water uptake. |
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| To assure that you have the best quality water for your flowers, you
should have your water tested by a water treatment company or an independent laboratory.
This can be done at little or no charge. If you do not know the analysis of
your tap water, and are concerned that the quality may not be good, you may want to
use bottled distilled water for your flowers. A water analysis should tell you two
primary characteristics about your tap water, the pH level and the level of TDS. |
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pH level is the measurement of the acidity and alkalinity of water
on a scale of 1 (acid) to 14 (alkaline), with 7 being neutral. High quality water
for flowers should be slightly acid having a pH factor of between 3.0 and 4.5. Most
tap water is near neutral and acidity can be obtained through the use of a commercial
floral preservative. Acidic water is taken up more readily by flower stems than is
neutral or alkaline water.
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) refers to the measurement of water salinity, total dissolved
solids or soluble elements in water. The dissolved solids in water can include
magnesium, sodium, calcium, chlorides, and sulfates. Total dissolved solids in water
are measured in parts per million (ppm). High quality water for flowers should have
a TDS measurement of less than 200 ppm. |
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