Care for Roses

If you have received an arrangement of roses, you will want to take steps to make them last as long as possible; the longer your roses last, the longer you will be able to take pleasure in these exquisite blossoms!  Providing adequate care for roses is easy when you follow a few simple, but imperative steps.

The first step in providing care for roses is relatively easy, as you should let them sit awhile before arranging them. Upon receiving your roses, it is best that you place them in a cool area for at least an hour before you start to prepare them for your arrangement.  Your refrigerator is an ideal place to put your roses, until you are ready to arrange them.  This not only gives you plenty of time to locate an adequate container for the flowers, but it gives you an opportunity to gather any other necessities you may require to arrange your roses. 

To properly provide care for roses, you will need an adequately sized container to place your flowers in, a pair of sharp scissors, and the floral food packet provided by the florist.  You should note that when selecting a vase for your roses, that it needs to be both wide and tall enough to sufficiently hold all your blooms; an inadequately sized vase can lead to poor nutrition of your flowers, or worse, your arrangement could topple over if the vase is not tall enough!  Thus, choose your flower container wisely.

After you have gathered a container, a pair of sharp scissors, and the flower food packet, you can begin arranging your roses.  You can begin caring for your roses by filling the container no more than three quarters of the way full with fresh water.  Additionally, you will want to use the freshest water possible when providing care for roses, as roses are a delicate bloom and prone to illness.  Tap water works fine, but you may want to consider using bottled water when providing care for roses. 
           
Your next step in providing care for roses will require you to cut off any thorns and remove any leaves that are on the stems of your roses that will be placed directly in water.  What’s more, you will want to cut off approximately 1 inch from the bottommost part of the stems.  When cutting the stems you need to be sure to cut them at an angle:  this helps ensure that your roses receive adequate nutrition.

Once you have trimmed the stems and any extraneous leaves off, you can proceed in placing them into your vase.  If you are using foam to hold your roses in place, be sure to check the water level of your flowers everyday, as foam tends to dry out quickly as water evaporates.  Finally, the best thing you can do to care for roses is to place them in an area that is far enough away from heat generating appliances and out of direct sunlight.

For more great rose care advice, see the rose care tips at Send 1 Rose - Rose Advice & Tips.