Give Your Flowers Some Booze

Working on your garden this weekend? William Miller, a Cornell University horticulturist recommends giving your daffodils a drink of hard liquor, such as vodka, tequila, gin or whiskey to stunt stem growth. This prevents the flowers from growing too tall and flopping over while the blossoms keep vibrant and sober. This article from USA Today says the proper alcoholic blend can stunt flower growth 30% to 50%. Miller says alcohol levels between 4% to 6% are ideal and warns that levels above 10% become toxic to the flowers. The article says, "to get a 5% solution from 80-proof liquor, which is 40% alcohol, add one part liquor to seven parts water." Keep the vino and six pack in the kitchen because they don't work.