Looking after your roses!
So you have just received a gorgeous bunch of roses!!
Step 1: give them a drink
Trim stems at base, remove leaves and thorns.
Cut stems on 45 degree angle.
Roses have been cut at a farm, shipped to a wholesaler, then sent to market and sold to your florist! She has stored them at her shop and later sold them to you. That's a lot of travel time and changing temperatures for your roses. So it makes sense to give them a little pampering when you have them home.
Your first job is to prepare the stems and then simply pop them in a bucket of warm water in a cool place for several hours. This helps them to re-hydrate and reduces any travel shock.
To prepare the stems, cut off 2 - 3 inches of stem to get back to healthy tissue that can drink up water easily. Additionally, make a 3 inch slice on a 45 degree angle on the healthy stem to maximise the surface area available to drink. Don't be shy here. Your roses are very thirsty and need help to avoid wilting.
Trim any untidy or excess leaves above the waterline and remove thorns. Strip any leaves below the water line completely.
Pop them into a bucket of warm water (they will think they are at the spa!) and let them rest.
Step 2: give them a hygienic environment
Yes, you need to add some bleach!
But your roses need a bacteria-free environment in order to thrive! Bleach is the answer!
Simple and cheap, a teaspoonful of bleach will help keep the vase water sparkling. (Slimy stems are never a good look or smell!) Every time you change the water, wash the vase and add more bleach.
Short on bleach? Apple Cider Vinegar also does the trick!
Step 3: feed them
Yes, your roses are hungry and need feeding to be strong and healthy. A teaspoonful of sugar may be added directly to the water as an energy source. Or you can try soda water. Or you can purchase plant food. Lots of options here! By the way, your other flowers and foliage will benefit too!
Keep in mind, this food will feed any bacteria in the water too. This is why adding bleach is important. The bleach will keep the bacteria at bay.
See how well the roses below look! (We added a spritz of hairspray to the underside of the leaves and flowers. Helps them to stay looking great for a bit longer too!)
Now you are ready to sit back and enjoy!!
Yes, your roses will last up to 10 days if you look after them well, depending on how they arrived. During this time they will open up fully and look breathtaking. Enjoy this wonderful delight of nature.
Keen enthusiasts might like to dry their rose petals once they are half open or press them in a book for even more enjoyment. But then, that's another blog. Stay tuned.
Julie Falcone
renowned writer and lover of all things roses
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