It’s expected that two thirds of us will buy our mother’s flowers as a gift this Mother’s Day. But no matter how fresh and beautiful the bouquet is on the day, the chances are it’ll soon end up a wilted, crumbled mess in less than a week. Now, scientists have revealed the tricks that could help keep the flowers fresh, based on plant chemistry. Flowers are not meant to last, however thanks to chemistry you can help keep them stay alive just a little bit longer. To keep cut flowers fresh, you have got to fight the flower’s normal aging or dying processes. From the moment a flower is removed from its roots, it should be put in water right away before it begins to wilt. The very first tip is to clean the vase, jar or whatever object you plan on using to display the bouquet. It sounds simple, but a little soap and water can go a long way. By scrubbing your vase or jar, you are preventing bacteria and fungi from invading your bouquet. And if you’re feeling really ambitious, it is suggested to wash the container and to add fresh water daily to maximize disinfection. We all learned at a young age that flowers need water to survive, but what you may not know is they enjoy a specific temperature. Warm water that has been slightly degassed is ideal, which means letting trapped air out that is in the water. Just fill the vase with warm water and let it sit for a few minutes – and it will degas itself. The quality of water also plays an important role in the flowers’ survival. Your flowers prefer slightly acidic water, without too many dissolved solids or fluoride. The next step to keeping your flowers alive is, you have to feed them. Usually, when you purchase a bouquet from a florist, a small package is attached in the wrapping. The tiny packet is a weapon against microbes that would eat away at the plants and it also provides flowers with nutrients. It contains bleach to disinfect, citric acid to reduce the water’s pH and sugar. As a flower’s carbohydrates decrease, it begins to wilt and causes petals to lose colour. To prevent this, sucrose or glucose make it strong and regain its beauty. But be careful, microorganism and bacteria love sugar, which is why you don’t want to add a few tablespoons of what you have in the cupboard. After you have the water at an ideal temperature and added the flower food, next you want to cut the stems. By snipping the stems off at a 45-degree angle ensures a wide opening to the Xylum, the straw-like system that transports water throughout the flower using surface tension. Not only does this help with the flow of water, but it also keeps air bubbles in the stem to a minimum. But be sure not to snag any leaves, as that is how plants gather energy through photosynthesis. One interesting tip that might not be familiar is, to slow down the aging process keep the flowers away from fruit. Fruit produces ethylene which tells plants to ripen, and the faster they ripen the quicker they die. You can also put your bouquet in the fridge before you leave the house. If you’re not home to enjoy your flowers, put them in the fridge to keep cool. Just how scientists are working on using a cryogenic processor to stop humans from aging, the same will work for flowers. And experts say this method can even double the lift of your flowers.