A NATURAL PRESERVATIVE MIXTURE THAT PROLONGS THE VASE LIFE OF CUT FLOWERS

A MIXTURE CONTAINING VOLATILE OILS DISSOLVED IN TWEEN 80 AS A SOLVENT WAS ADDED TO THE PRESERVATIVE VASE SOLUTION OF CUT FLOWERS IN PLACE OF THE CLASSIC CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES WHICH MAY BE HARMFUL TO HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT. THE BETTER QUALITY OF CUT FLOWERS PRESERVED IN MIXTURE MAY BE DUE TO THE ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF VOLATILE OILS. THE OILS OF CUMIN, THYME, PARSLEY, PEPPERMINT, SEVILLE ORANGE AND MELISSA WERE ALL TRIED AT DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS AND COMBINATIONS. THE BEST RESULTS WERE RECORDED WITH THE MIXTURE CONTAINING PEPPERMINT OIL WITH EITHER CUMIN OR MILESSA OIL AT THE CONCENTRATION OF 150 PPM FOR EACH.