Care Tips For Your Rose
Caring for roses is not difficult if you follow these general rules.1/ Roses are thirsty flowers and will absorb a lot of water. Monitor the water consumption daily. You may have to add water with preservative everyday.
2/Display your roses in a cool location, out of direct sunlight and avoid excessive heat and drafts.
3/If you receive your flowers wrapped, remove the leaves that may decay under water. When removing leaves and thorns, do not cut through the green bark. Air can enter the water-conducting passages through the injuries and restrict water uptake.
4/Every three days, give your flowers a fresh cut. Have your vase full of luke warm water and floral preservative ready. Cut each flower on an angle with a knife. The angle increases the surface area for absorption and the knife will not pinch the stem like scissors will. With every cut, immediately place the flower in the vase. Do not cut the flowers, place them on the counter, this creates air pockets in the stem and will cause drooping in some flowers, such as roses.
5/If you have a water softener in your home, use distilled / bottle water in your vases. The crystals from the softeners will have a negative impact on the longevity of your rose life.
6/Premature wilting, is usually the cause of air trapped in the stem and the preservative solution cannot flow properly up the stem. The end of the stem may be blocked. Also, look for a cut or scrape above the water level. Re-cut the stem above the injured section and submerge the entire rose in a basin of warm water. Be sure to keep the head and stem straight. A rose will usually revive within an hour and can be placed back into the arrangement.
These basic care tips can be applied to all flowers to keep your bloomers blooming long after Valentine’s Day.
by Julie Van Damme
(created on Thursday, December 21, 2006)