Can we talk about the weird thing that happened with my last batch of ranunculus

I got a shipment of ranunculus from my usual supplier last Thursday, and the stems felt a bit softer than normal. On a whim, I put them in a bucket with a capful of vodka mixed into the water, something I read online once. Instead of just opening, they got these crazy, almost ruffled edges and held their shape for a full 10 days. I always thought that vodka trick was just a myth for tulips. Has anyone else had a flower react in a totally new way to a standard trick?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_keith1mo agoMost Upvoted

That vodka trick actually works on a bunch of flowers, not just tulips. The alcohol messes with the plant's ethylene response, which is the gas that makes them ripen and wilt. Your ranunculus stems were probably a bit stressed from shipping, so the vodka just slowed everything down hard. Getting those ruffled edges for over a week is a killer result.

jessicab331mo ago

Wait, does it work on grocery store flowers too? I tried it on some sad looking daisies last month and they perked up for like, an extra four days. I just used a cheap vodka shot in the vase water.

maxm5015d ago

That's wild, I had the exact same thing happen with some anemones last fall. They were totally limp and I was ready to toss them, but a splash of gin in the water made them blow up into these huge, crinkly blooms. They looked like they were made of tissue paper. @the_keith is right about it slowing things down, but it also seems to change how they open sometimes. Makes you wonder what else we could try it on.