How to keep cut roses fresh in a vase for a long time

Water preparation

The quality of the water is of great importance to the bouquet. Not only the storage of roses depends on its composition and temperature, but also their maintenance in their original form for a long time. It has been noticed that a rose can stand in high-quality water for more than a month without losing its beauty, and moreover, it can even "grow" - the stem will grow, and the flower will bloom. But this effect can be achieved only if you know how to properly keep cut roses in a vase for a long time.

Let's start with water. It must be fresh and clean. The best option is distilled or filtered water. If possible, you can use water from a well. Tap water must first be defended or boiled. Particular attention should be paid to the purity of the water. It should be crystal clear, free of sediment that may form during settling. Here it will be useful to mention the purity of the vase, because if there are traces from previous bouquets in it, the water will quickly deteriorate and the roses will wither.

The temperature of the water depends on the season: in summer, cool, but not too cold water is suitable, and in winter the rose will feel more comfortable in water at room temperature. In order for roses to stand in the water as long as possible, they need to be fed. Usually, sugar and vinegar are used for this purpose, which are added to the vase at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon / 1 liter of water. However, flowers can live in this solution until microbes begin to multiply.

The appearance of microorganisms is a common process for any liquid, which can be stopped by disinfecting agents and drugs:

• the most affordable tool, tested in action by many housewives, is aspirin, it is thrown into a vase of water at the rate of only 0.5 tablets / 1 liter. water;
• citric acid - powder is added to water at the rate of 0.5 tsp / 1 liter. water;
• alum (natural antimicrobial agent) - a small crystal is enough.

If none of the above is found in your home, you can resort to alternative remedies. For example, ordinary vodka, which is added to water in the amount of several spoons (depending on the volume of water), or a silver product, helps to keep roses longer.

When purchasing a bouquet in a large flower shop, ask the seller: how to keep cut roses, or what to add to the water to keep the flowers in the vase longer?

He will certainly offer you special preparations that will prolong the life of the bouquet. You can purchase them, and simply add to the water for roses in the proportion indicated in the instructions.

Very often, beautiful large roses, especially imported ones, are grown using chemicals. If you are sure that your flowers have already experienced the effects of chemistry, then instead of aspirin, you can safely add a couple of drops of any fabric bleach to the water. It sounds intimidating, but this is the tool that florists use when they make up long-lasting bouquets.

Video “Keeping Roses Fresh”

From the video you will learn how to prolong the life of your bouquet.

Preparing flowers

Having bought or received a bouquet as a gift, you should not immediately put it in water without preliminary preparation. If the flowers are brought from the cold, then the warm air and water will be a real stress for them, so first the roses must be gradually adapted to the room temperature. It will also be useful to make sure of the freshness of the bouquet in order to know how to store it in the future, since stale flowers, even with the most competent care, can last only a few days.

You can check the freshness of the roses by the sepals located under the flower. If they are dense and well pressed against the bud, this means that the flowers are fresh. Dropped or dried sepals indicate that the flowers were cut a few days ago.

After the bouquet has lain a little indoors, you can remove the packaging from it and start preparing:

• for a start, lower the stems for two hours in a bath or a bucket filled with water so that they are saturated with moisture - you should avoid getting water on the flowers, as they can begin to rot from moisture;
• then cut each stem at an acute angle, without removing it from the water, so air cannot get inside the stem, and this will prolong the life of the rose;
• all leaves and thorns in that part of the stem that will be immersed in water are removed - in contact with water, the leaves begin to rot first;
• for the stems to better absorb water, the slices need to be split a little.

With such preparation and proper daily care, the bouquet will delight you with its freshness for a long time.

Storage

You can seriously approach the preparation of the water and the flowers themselves, but this will not bring the desired result if the location of the bouquet is chosen incorrectly. When deciding on a place for a vase with roses, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• place the bouquet in a cool, slightly shaded place, where direct sunlight does not fall;
• the vase should be placed away from windows and doors - this will avoid drafts, which are very harmful to roses;
• it is not advisable to put roses near other plants, flowers or fruits - such a neighborhood will deprive the flowers of their fragrance and accelerate their withering;
• roses do not tolerate polluted air, so put the bouquet away from parking lots and smoking areas;
• also, do not place a bouquet in close proximity to an air conditioner or heater.

Remember! Rose loves coolness and moderate humidity, in these conditions it stays fresh for a long time and does not lose its amazing aroma.

If you bought a bouquet in advance and need to keep it until the next day, use this advice: trim the stems, put them in water for two hours, and then wrap them in plastic or parchment paper and place them in the refrigerator.

Do not worry about the flowers withering, in the cold they are perfectly preserved without water. This method is used by all growers who grow roses for sale. They cut the buds, wrap them in foil and put them in a cold place (cellar, basement, refrigerator), where roses are perfectly preserved for several days. By the way, rose seedlings in the basement can be stored until spring.

Daily care

To begin with, let's stipulate what the vase should be so that the flowers feel comfortable in it:

• for a small bouquet (3-5 roses), an elongated graceful vase with a heavy base and a narrow top is suitable;
• it is better to put a lush bouquet in a wide cylindrical vase, which will not turn over, and a wide neck will provide air access to the stems;
• roses stay longer in dishes made of an opaque material (ceramics, darkened glass) - light penetrates into a transparent vase, which leads to heating of the water and the reproduction of microbes;
• Water must be poured into the vase so that the stems are immersed in it by a third of their length.

And now we will reveal some secrets on how to prolong the life of roses standing in a vase:

• water needs to be changed daily, or at least every other day, each time re-adding nutrients and disinfectants;
• with each change of water, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the vase, rinse the stems and update the sections;
• regularly spray flowers from a spray bottle with clean water, being careful not to get inside the buds.

When, despite all the above procedures, the bouquet begins to fade, a cold bath will help to revive it. Collect cool (10-12 ° C) water, place the roses in it so that only the stems are immersed, and the flowers are above the surface, cover with foil and leave overnight. If by the morning freshness has not returned to the flowers, add a couple of drops of ammonia to the water, and they will come to life again. Using these simple tips, it is possible to extend the life of roses in a vase for several weeks or a whole month.

Video "Caring for cut roses"

The video shows you how to care for cut flowers.