Want your fresh floral arrangement to last longer? Give it a shot of vodka. Yes, just a splash of vodka in the water can help prolong the life of fresh-cut flowers. The alcohol helps keep the water clean and free of bacterial buildup, and the flowers benefit from drinking a little vodka, too, because the alcohol/water mixture helps lower the production of ethylene gas, which is a ripening gas that speeds up the decomposition process. Less gas means longer-lasting flowers.
ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION