Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Courtney Pochin & Rachel Williams & Alexander Smail

Marks & Spencer customer shares easy 2p hack that keeps flowers fresh

One Marks & Spencer customer has shared an easy-to-do hack to keep flowers fresh, and all that's required is a two pence coin.

Anyone who has ever bought or been given flowers as a present will know that it doesn't take long for them to lose their vigour — even when placed in water.

It can sometimes seem like you've only just received the flowers when they start to wither and die.

READ MORE — 'Stunning' handcrafted Edinburgh landmark wood table goes viral online

As reported by the Daily Record, the M&S shopper was delighted to find out that there's an easy way to keep the plants fresher for longer.

The genius tip was first revealed by florists from London's world-famous Columbia Road Flower Market, who spoke to Good Housekeeping about the hack.

If the coin is left in the vase with the flowers, they supposedly stay fresh for longer before beginning to wilt.

The experts also recommended snipping the stems of your flowers at an angle before placing them in your vase as this maximises the surface area from which they can absorb water.

One reporter from The Mirror decided to try the trick out for themselves with a bunch of flowers they got from M&S and found themselves "very impressed" with the results.

She said: "After getting a bunch of beautiful pink tulips from M&S, I was disappointed to see they had drooped when I arrived home.

"I popped them in the vase, only to see them wilt and bend over the sides, looking very sorry for themselves.

"So, I quickly took them out of the vase and popped a 2p coin in the bottom, before adding more water.

"I trimmed the stems on a diagonal as instructed and put the flowers back into the vase."

The shopper said that - after not noticing any initial difference - that it did begin to work after a little while, as her flowers began to stand up again.

Sign up to Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox

She added: "A day later and they are still upright and looking fabulous - I'm so pleased with the results and can't believe it actually worked."

Others have also shared how the hack has also proved successful for them, with one woman telling on Facebook how the 2p kept her flowers looking good as new for two weeks.

But, why does the 2p trick work?

Some say the coin acts as an antimicrobial agent, reducing the microorganisms in the water to keep the flowers fresh.

Columbia Road experts also suggest changing the water in the vase every day can help increase the life span of your bunch.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.