Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Alum

Beaux Monde Designs

 
Did you know that you can buy something for a few dollars in the spice section of your grocery store to make your flower arranging more successful?

Frequently used in pickling and canning recipes to maintain the crispness of fruits and vegetables, alum powder (also known as potassium aluminum sulfate) encourages cut flowers to absorb more water. Just dip the bottom half-inch of the cut stems' ends into the fine white powder before placing it into a water-filled vase. As a result, the woody stemmed flowers like roses, lilacs, viburnum, forsythia, cherry blossoms, and hydrangeas will draw more water. Flowers will stay fresh for up to two weeks.


Alum Powder


Why does alum work? Alum acts as a mild acidic agent that helps neutralize sap in the stems, allowing the flower to drink more water. 

If you do lots of flower arranging , this 2 pound size would be very cost effective and last forever -

2 Pounds Alum Powder


If you prefer the smaller containers - 


6 Pack of Alum Powder


BTW, if you don't have flower food, just add a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar to the water in your vase. The vinegar is antibacterial and the sugar acts a flower food.

You will want to have alum on hand for early spring blooming cut branches like forsythia. Blue and white ginger jars make perfect vases for heavier and longer cut flowering branches.






3 comments:

  1. good to know. NOW: how does it affect glass or ceramic containers?

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  2. Thank you, Beth. That is great information. I will have to try it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks! Great to know.💚

    ReplyDelete