Like a lot of beautiful things in this world, hydrangeas can be temperamental and exasperating to love. There is nothing that makes me more happy than freshly cut hydrangeas (preferably white) in a simple glass vase on my kitchen island. And I’ve worked hard to make this a reality year-round. Let me share with you the secret of how to make hydrangeas love you back for weeks.

If hydrangeas are one thing, it’s thirsty. Crazy thirsty. This is where the secret ingredient to perfectly long-lasting blooms come in – Alum powder. This spice used frequently in canning recipes helps the hydrangea stems drink more water. It is sometimes hard to find in your spice aisle, so I like to buy mine in a big bag on Amazon ($6.95).

Simply cut each woody stem on a sharp angle under lukewarm water (a very important step) and dip the end into the Alum powder before placing it in the vase. Repeat for all your stems and get ready to be astonished – two weeks of gorgeously blooming hydrangeas!