Floral preservative
View Patent ↗An electrochemically treated solution and method for cut flower and plant preservation, the solution having potassium, hypochlorous acid, dissolved oxygen, and a surfactant.
1. An electrochemically treated solution for cut flower and plant preservation consisting of:
at least 99.5% by weight water;
an effective amount of potassium chloride;
an effective amount of but no more than 0.01% by weight hypochlorous acid, wherein the hypochlorous acid is supplied in an undissociated form;
a surfactant, wherein the surfactant concentration is between 0.5 to 15,000 ppm; and
an effective amount of dissolved oxygen, wherein the solution has a total dissolved solids level of no more than 9 g/L, has a conductivity of 0.2-18 mS, has 5-600 ppm of available free chlorine equivalent, and has a pH of about 4.5 to 6.0.
2. The solution of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is an amphoteric surfactant.
3. The solution of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant.
4. The solution of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant.
5. The solution of claim 1 wherein the surfactant concentration is between 0.5 to 300 ppm.
6. A method of extending cut flower and plant life comprising:
providing an electrochemically treated aqueous solution that (a) consists of water, potassium chloride, hypochlorous acid, dissolved oxygen, and a surfactant, (b) has a total dissolved solids level of no more than 9 g/L, (c) has a conductivity of 0.2-18 mS, (d) has 5-600 ppm of available free chlorine equivalent, and (e) has a pH of 4.5 to 6.5; and
immersing a stem of a cut flower or plant in the electrochemically treated aqueous solution.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of immersing further comprises inhibiting microbial growth in a vessel containing a cut flower or a plant.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the surfactant concentration is 25 to 15,000 ppm.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the surfactant concentration is 0.5 to 300 ppm.