Easy Crafts & Decorating

Yes - clip them when some of the flowers are just starting to bloom, and do it early in the morning when the tissue in each branch is full of water. Then remove most of the leaves and place the cuttings in a solution of 8 oz. tepid water, 8 oz. clear soda (such as 7UP) and 1 tsp. bleach. The soda pumps nutrients into the blooms, while the bleach prevents bacterial buildup. As for that old gardener's tale about smashing the stems of lilacs with a hammer, it's a myth. It'll do more harm than good.