Tips to Make Your Valentine's Day Roses Last Longer

Keep your Valentine's Day roses fresh longer with these simple tips:
As soon as you receive your roses put them in container of water while you look for the perfect vase.
Fill a vase that is sparkling clean with fresh room temperature water. Locate the little packet of flower food that was packed in with your roses. Following the instructions on the packet, add the flower food to the water in your vase (usually I add about a third of the packet to a vase suitable for long stemmed roses).
Cleaning up your Roses:


Remove a rose from the holding container and examine it. Sometimes you'll notice that the outer petals on a rose will be bruised or damaged. To remove any damaged rose petals gently pull downward on the petal until it snaps cleanly from the rose.


Don't remove more than a single ring of petals or you risk damaging the rose.


When doing your rose clean-up, always return a finished rose to the water in the holding bucket as you proceed with the other roses.
It's a bit of a bother, but taking the time to remove all the foliage that will fall below the water line in your vase will really help keep the water clean and free of the bacteria that will cause the flowers to wilt.
Here's one of the easiest way to remove the foliage: Grasp each leafy stem and give it a gentle tug downward. The leaf stem will snap off without any damage to the main flower stem.
Arranging them in a Vase:


Many florists will tell you to give rose stems a fresh cut in a bowl of water or under running water. This can be tricky to do, and if you work really quickly, I don't think its all that necessary.


Cutting a rose stem with scissors can crush the stem and prevent water from reaching the flower. It is much better to use a knife. You want to work with a knife that has a sharp, flat edge (not serrated).


With your knife, make a downward cut on a 45 degree angle. Submerge the rose immediately into the fresh water in your vase.


Repeat the process until all the roses have a fresh cut.
If your roses wilt in the first couple of days, you can try to revive them by filling the sink or the bathtub with cool water. Give the roses a fresh cut and lay them down in the water. Make sure the cut ends of the stems are submerged! (Weigh them down with something if you have too.)


I've done this on a number of occasions and it works like a charm.Of course there is a point of no return for any cut roses.
A dozen roses can drink quite a lot of water, so keep an eye on the water level in your vase. It's also a good idea to change the water on day 3. Add fresh flower food and give the roses a fresh cut before putting them back in the vase.


Don't let your roses sit in the sun. A cool room with indirect light is best.
Roses can be easily dried, so don't throw them into the compost bin. Watch for an upcoming post on drying roses. I also have a pretty project that can be made with a dozen dried sweetheart roses.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Three Dogs in a Garden
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Miranda Miranda on Dec 29, 2017

    I’m trying to figure out what steps I take next after the roses are dry!? How to keep them preserved after the drying process is done how do I keep my upside down dryed roses last long as possibl? Is there something to spray on them or some way to somehow glue them or parts of them?

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  • Su Su on Feb 14, 2016
    Cut Flower Preservative Recipes (from About.com/About Education/Chemistry ) ---Cut Flower Preservative Recipe #1 2 cups lemon-lime carbonated beverage (e.g., Sprite™ or 7-Up™) 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach 2 cups warm water ---Cut Flower Preservative Recipe #2 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach 1 quart warm water ---Cut Flower Preservative Recipe #3 2 tablespoons white vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach 1 quart warm water Updated February 13, 2016
  • Sonia Burrows Sonia Burrows on Feb 14, 2016
    I re-cut the roses every day, under water, and then place them in fresh water mixed with the floral packet. I've found that doing this everyday can get roses to last 2 weeks. The more expensive rose will last even longer. I find the more inexpensive rose tend to collapse and totally submerging them in lukewarm water for a couple of hours will revive them.
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    • Sonia Burrows Sonia Burrows on Feb 26, 2016
      Karen, I don't see why it wouldn't work for other flowers. The important thing is to make sure the flower walls don't collapse.
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