is a time to spoil your mum and give her a big bouquet of her favourite . However, it can be frustrating if they begin to wilt and brown after a day or two.

, a master with over 25 years of experience, has shared that you can keep most cut flowers fresh for much longer if you feed them three simple ingredients. She said: "When flowers are left in plain water, they don't receive the nutrients necessary to maintain their vibrancy. Commercial flower food works by combining three key components: sugar, acid, and a biocide to prevent bacterial growth."

"Fortunately, you can replicate this at home with a few simple ingredients from your pantry."

You will need:

• Two tablespoons of lemon juice
• Two tablespoons of granulated sugar
• Half a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
  

Bacteria can easily grow in vases and clog up the stems of flowers, which prevents them from absorbing water, so they will begin to wilt at a much faster rate.

Lemon juice is acidic, while apple cider vinegar is antibacterial. When combined, they will lower the pH of the vase water to keep any harmful bacteria from reaching the plant.

Sugar acts as a food to provide flowers with the energy they need to vibrant and fresh for much longer than they normally would last.

These simple ingredients will also keep the water clean which can help improve the quality og the flowers, so they will have stronger foliage and more vibrant blooms.

Method:

All you need to do is mix the lemon juice, sugar and apple cider vinegar together in a dish.

Then, fill the dish up a quarter of the way with warm water and mix everything together until the sugar has dissolved.

Take your flowers and cut the stems at a 45 degree angle under a tap of running water, as this will improve their water intake.

If there are any lower leaves on the plants that would be submerged in water, then cut them off as this can encourage bacterial growth.

Place your flowers in a vase with the homemade flower food, and it should greatly extend the life of your beautiful blooms.

Make sure to keep the flowers away from windows or radiators as extreme temperatures (from sunlight or draft) will cause the flowers to wilt before their time.