By Heather Bolen

Throughout spring, I surround myself with tulips for both work and pleasure. Unlike other flowers, tulips keep growing after being cut. The movement occurs as the stems grow upward, while the large flowers respond and grow toward the light, then they can sometimes droop or bend over time. I rather like their erratic behavior and find the drooping beautiful. But for those times when I want them to last longer, here are my tips to keep your tulips fresh and vigorous for as long as possible:

Buy cut tulips when the buds are still closed but the color of the flower is evident. If they’re already open at the store, they won’t last long.
Cut the stems at an angle: Use sharp, clean scissors or shears to cut the tulip stems at a 45-degree angle. This will create a larger surface area for water absorption, allowing the tulips to stay hydrated and upright. Tulips are very thirsty flowers!
Use cold fresh water and swap out for fresh water every other day.
Add flower food. Commercial flower preservatives contain additives that work by providing food in the form of sugar, fighting the growth of harmful microorganisms, and allowing the plant to take in nutrients more efficiently by raising the acidity of the water (lowering its pH).
Remove leaves below the waterline. Leaves that are submerged in water can decay and release bacteria, which can cause the tulips to droop.
Keep them cool. Tulips prefer cooler temperatures, so avoid placing them in direct sunlight or near a heat source. Keeping them in a cooler room or the refrigerator overnight can help to extend their life. I put them in each night and have seen tulips last seven days or more. You can also drop an ice cube in the water from time to time.
Be careful when combining tulips with other popular spring flowers, such as daffodils and jonquils, which secrete a sap that shortens the life of their vase mates. Keep these guys separate overnight, after they are cut, so the sap makes its way out of the stems, before combining with the tulips.
Try the penny trick. It’s an old wives’ tale, but people swear by it. I haven’t seen it make much of a difference, so let me know if you have any luck in the comments!
Try the 7-Up/Sprite trick. Another homemade vase solution, but this one has a touch more science behind it. Citrus sodas can effectively make flower water both acidic and sugary, mimicking the effects of flower food. Concoct a solution of one part soda and three parts water, along with a few drops of microbe-killing bleach.
Try the vodka trick. When you add a few drops of vodka to the vase of water, it inhibits a flower's production of ethylene, a ripening gas that plants emit. Inhibiting this gas could slow wilting. Plants like many people can only tolerate small concentrations of alcohol, up to eight percent, and 80-proof vodka from the liquor store is 40 percent alcohol. To be effective rather than harmful, the liquor would need to be diluted. Combine one teaspoon of vodka with one liter of water to rejuvenate your flowers. And be sure not to set the vase near a fruit bowl since ripening fruit emits ethylene!