I bought some tulips for my mother two days ago, and they were pretty droopy. My dad put a couple of UK two pence coins in the water and within a few hours, the tulips were standing up straight.
How does this work!? All I can see is a theory that the copper acts as a natural fungicide/antibacterial supplement, but surely that wouldn’t make the flowers stand up so quickly?
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The copper kills bacteria and fungus in the water, making it easier for the tulips to suck up the water.
fun fact: viagra also works to make cut flowers stand up straight longer. why? i don’t know. should you do it? probably not, it’s way more expensive than pennies. But if you do, you can say that your flowers are fully erect and that seems fun.
Is there good science that says this works?
This person tested it and found no difference. https://www.scienceworld.ca/stories/do-pennies-keep-cut-tulips-drooping/
I used to work in a doctor’s office. We had expired birth control pill samples. I was going to toss them and the doc told me to put them in my plants. It makes them flower beautifully
Are you sure it wasn’t just from watering them?
It’s actually because of the copper in the penny. Copper has these natural anti-bacterial powers When tulips sit in water, bacteria can build up, and that messes with how they drink. The copper helps kill off that gunk. So the stems can take up water better.
You bought prostitulips.
at first i read this as “penises” and was shocked that anyone knew they could affect tulips that way, now i’m trying to imagine a scenario where it’s true and why it works
asprin also keeps cut flowers from wilting…are they related?