The Spruce/ Nishaa Sharma

Confession time: my green thumb is completely nonexistent.

I struggle to keep the beautiful flower bouquets I bring home alive for as long as I can remember.

I added a bit of flower food to my control vase and got to work setting up each hack.

Four bouquets of pink roses and baby’s breath on a windowsill

The Spruce/ Nishaa Sharma

The third method I tried was the penny hackand this took the most time to set up.

The control and penny roses continued to stand strong, with soft leaves and healthy-looking baby’s breath.

The leaves were brittle to the touch, and the stems even had visible signs of bleach.

Four vases of pink roses on a windowsill

The Spruce/ Nishaa Sharma

However, I did see similar results to her when it came to the Sprite and bleach.

I would discourage trying that hack altogether.

It allows the blooms to get more air.

Pouring Sprite into its cap in front of a bouquet of pink roses and baby’s breath

The Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

Roses have solid stems, so this may have impacted the way the hack turned out.

If I bring home any hollow-stemmed varieties, I’ll be combining the pin-prick and penny methods as well.

A needle through the stem of a pink rose

The Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

A copper pence coin from 1989

The Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

Rose bouquets on a windowsill at twilight

Day 2The Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

Day 3 flower bouquet results

Day 3The Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

Wilting Sprite and bleach flowers

Day 4The Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

Murky water in the control vase

Day 6The Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

Sprite and bleach vase results, a shriveled-up bouquet of roses

Bleach and Sprite method resultsThe Spruce/ Nishaa Sharma

Bleached rose stems

Bleach and Sprite method resultsThe Spruce /Nishaa Sharma

Three drooping pink roses in a clear vase showing prick method results

Pin prick method resultsThe Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

Three vibrant blooming pink roses in murky water showing the control group results

Control group resultsThe Spruce / Nishaa Sharma

Three pink roses and baby’s breath in a vase of clear water, showing the penny method results

Penny method resultsThe Spruce / Nishaa Sharma