Receiving a gift of roses is one of the most amazing things you can experience. There is no surprise, therefore, that people concern themselves with the preservation of these flowers. In fact, persons try all sorts of crazy ideas to get their roses to last as close to forever as is possible. Like every natural flower, a rose cannot last eternally no matter what you do. However, there are things you can do to improve how long it does live. This gives you a longer period in which you can enjoy them. In this article, we will look at the steps you can take to increase the longevity of fresh-cut roses.
Some of the tips you will find in this article include:
- Cleaning the Vase
- Filling the Vase
- Preparing the Vase
- Cutting the Stems
- Chilling the Flower
- Maintaining the Vase
- Helping the Roses Last as Long as Possible
Step One – Cleaning the Vase
You need to begin by ensuring that your vase is clean. If it is brand new, give it a light cleaning just to ensure no particles are floating around in there. For a used vase, ensure it is well cleaned, so there is no trace of dirt from prior use. Any kind of debris in the vase can present a problem for the future. This is because debris can easily contaminate water placed in a vase. The biggest problem with this is that the contamination can result in a shortened lifespan for your roses. This is very counterproductive, considering that you are trying to preserve them for a prolonged period. You should also visually inspect the vase for structural integrity. Use warm, soapy water for washing. A surfactant like soap works best with warm water. Once the washing is complete, ensure that you rinse the vase well before you.
Step Two – Filling the Vase
The first thing you need to do here is to fill your vase with lukewarm water. Ensure you follow this instruction as the temperature is fundamental to successfully pulling this off. Fresh cut roses should never be exposed to either hot or cold temperatures. A lukewarm bath promotes the comfort of the flowers, which helps to ensure that they last longer. Hot or cold temperature extremes are not conducive to a smooth process. Instead, they give a shock to the blooms because of the sudden change in environment. Imagine telling your wonderful gift-giver that you accidentally destroyed the roses while you were trying to preserve them.
Step Three – Preparing the Vase
Cut flowers usually require special attention and care. Traditionally, plants have roots at their base that are grounded in the soil around them. This allows them to take in water and the various nutrients that they need for healthy existence. Whenever cutting takes place, this is no longer the case, so it becomes necessary to implement a workaround. This is where flower food comes into play. Depending on where the roses were purchased, they likely came with a packet of fresh-cut flower food. This is intended to ensure that the flowers can survive in their cut state and away from the soil. If your purchase did not include a packet of this flower food, you could use one from another set of flowers. It would be best if the packet is one made for roses. Dissolve the food packet into the water in your vase.
Step Four – Cutting the Stems
The next task is for you to cut the stems. The point of doing this is to cut the xylems (tubes that conduct water) at the end of the stems. The xylems cause an airlock at the base of the stem, which makes water uptake difficult. Without the roots intact, the stem is the only chance a plant has at getting nutrients. Therefore, this is one of the most critical steps in the entire process. Your cut needs to be performed with shears or a sharp knife. The cut needs to be made cleanly and in one slice. If not, you can crush the stem’s base while cutting. A crushed base creates a similar problem to an airlock, so ensure your tools are sharp.
Step Five – Chilling the Flowers
Keep your flowers refrigerated whenever they don’t need to be out, such as when you aren’t around. Chilled locations help in the maintenance and preservation of flowers. This is the reason florists tend to keep flowers in refrigerated spaces prior to their sale. It may seem a bit strange for you to be putting plants away in a fridge, but it is necessary. Repeatedly putting the flowers into and removing them from the fridge is not beneficial. The consistent temperature changes can lead to premature wilting. It’s best to put them away whenever you plan to be away for over a day. At those points, you should place the flowers in the fridge just before leaving and remove them upon your return.
Step Six – Maintaining the Vase
This is where consistent maintenance begins. You need to ensure that the water in the vase is regularly changed. While the roses need water to survive, they should never be allowed to sit in the same water for too long. Check on and change the water every day or so. Stale water is known for contributing to premature wilting of your flowers. Also, remember that these roses survive exclusively on water, so expect them to drink it consistently. Maintaining an adequate water level is also an important concern. The maintenance of an acceptable water level along with water replenishment contributes to the desired longevity.
Step Seven – Helping the Roses Last as Long as Possible
The final step in the process is another maintenance step. No matter what you do, there is no way to avoid the wilting of buds and leaves. Removing these whenever you see them contributes to the upkeep of your roses. This is not just for aesthetic reasons. Wilted buds and leaves can fall into the water that is in the vase. When this happens, they rot, and compounds that are unhealthy for your bouquet seep into the water. The last thing you want is healthy flowers sucking up water that is contaminated.
