"Roses Guide"    

Roses are almost everyone's favorite flower. They are much appreciated for their spectacular flowers and exquisite perfume, but they can be a bit of a challenge to keep for any length of time. If you have been given some roses, find out below how to take care of your rose flowers - they need special attention to keep them looking good.

About Roses

Roses have been hybridized in many different colors and forms. They generally come in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, peach, and white. The length of the cut stem varies from 14 to over 36 inches (35-90cm).

Roses symbolize love, magic, hope, and passion - ultimate beauty and perfection. Our information on roses shows that they have been used since antiquity. Nebuchadnezzar decorated his palace with roses. The Persians used their perfume extract. To the Greeks roses depicted the shed blood of Aphrodite's beloved Adonis. And the Romans employed huge quantities of rose petals for their celebrations.

Roses for cut flower production are grown in many areas including California, Florida, Holland and South America. Rose flowers are available all year round.

It is best to buy roses when the flowers are starting to open, but before the petals have separated from the flower head. Avoid old roses, that have a lot of loose petals with only a small bud left in the middle. Also, do not buy green roses that have been cut too early and still have the sepals (green bud scales). These are prone to developing a bent neck and may never open properly. Generally white roses can be bought more developed than pink or red types.

What to Do When You Receive       Your Rose Flowers

Roses can be rather difficult flowers to take care of for any length of time. The main problem is in keeping a clean and free flow of water up to the flower head.

Key Tips for Success

By following these key tips you will ensure the longest life for your precious rose bouquet.

1.    Use a floral preservative.
2.    Keep your vase full of water.
3.    Re-cut stem ends under water frequently.
4.    Display in a cool area.

1. Use a Floral Preservative

Unpack your flowers straightaway.

Use a clean, non metallic vase. The height of your vase should be about half to one-third as tall as your flowers.

Fill your vase with clean, lukewarm water and add a floral preservative solution (flower food), following the instructions provided. This will increase the life of your roses by about 40 percent and will keep them in better condition. Lukewarm water encourages good liquid uptake. The water level should be at least half way up the stem of your roses.

Non-floridated water also promotes longer vase life of your flowers. Do not use water from a water softener. If a floral preservative is unavailable you can substitute the following mixture :- 1 can of 7up or sprite to 1 liter of water, with 1 tablespoon of sugar added to the water and a splash of hydrogen peroxide.

Other homemade floral preservatives are to use one half teaspoon of bleach added to very warm water, or the old method of a crushed aspirin dissolved in warm water. These will kill off bacteria feeding on decaying vegetation.

Cut off all the foliage on the stem that would be below the water level in your vase. Remove any bruised, discolored or torn outermost petals (the so called 'guard petals') from the roses by carefully pulling downwards. Also remove any damaged leaves. Avoid injuring the bark on the stem.

2. Re-cut Stem Ends Under Water           - Frequently

Cut off about 1 inch (2.5cm) from the bottom of your flower stems, under water, and slanting at an angle. Only the end of the stem needs to be submerged for this. If cut out of water, air can enter the stem, block water movement, and cause the rose to wilt.

Unrestricted water movement up the stem is crucial for maximum flower life. By re-cutting the stems you help your roses to maintain water uptake. Air bubbles and debris tends to collect in the bases of the stems and, if this is not removed, water flow in the stems is greatly restricted.

The cut should be slanting at an angle and not flat across. A diagonal cut enables the rose to absorb more water. And you do not want your flower stems resting flat on the bottom of the vase since this will restrict water uptake. Do not crush the stem ends as this will prevent them taking up water.

By cutting stems under water the end of the stem is sealed with a droplet of water when placed back in the vase. But don't let the newly cut end dry off before transferring it back to your vase.

You need to recut regularly. Remove your rose bouquet from your vase. And cut off about 1 inch (2.5cm) from the bottom of the flower stems under water and at an angle. Do this ideally every two days for maximum life, but at least every 4 days, for the best rose care. Also change the water at the same time.

3. Display in a Cool Area

Arrange your flowers in the vase so that they are attractively displayed. It is best if you can leave them in a cool dark room to 'condition' for 2 or 3 hours after arranging.

Take care of roses by keeping them in a cool place and out of direct sunlight. Avoid draughts (such as from air vents) which will dehydrate your flowers. They do not like very hot or very cold areas. In a hot place, in the direct sun, your flowers will soon die. And avoid standing the vase on sources of heat, such as electrical appliances.

Transferring your roses to a cooler, dark place just for the night will slow their opening, and keep them fresh that much longer.

4. Keep Your Vase Full of Water

Check the water level daily and top up your vase using fresh, clean, lukewarm water. Change the water, ideally every other day, and add new floral preservative and water solution. Urgently replace murky or dirty looking water, and top up the vase with lukewarm water, which promotes good liquid uptake.

Regularly remove damaged, or dying flowers and foliage. This will help your flowers last longer.

Flower Life

With good care, your fresh cut roses have a life expectancy from 7 - 14 days. Vase life for a rose also depends on its type and color. Roses with many petals tend to live longer. Yellow and white roses may not last as long since they have fewer petals.

It is possible to dry your flowers.

Reviving Wilted Rose Flowers

Roses are prone to wilting or drooping blooms, especially if they are in too hot a place, so it is important to keep them in as cool an area as possible. Premature wilting usually indicates that air is entrapped in the stem, causing an airlock and blocking the flow of water up to the flower. The roses will bend at the base of the stem and droop.

A wilted rose can usually be revived by submerging the entire stem and flower in warm water (100 deg.F, 38 deg.C ) and cutting off about 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) diagonally from the bottom of the stem with a sharp knife. Cutting the stem under water prevents air bubbles from re-entering the stem. Straighten out the stem and head, if necessary, and leave the rose under water for about 2 hours to revive.

A rose stem draws up water through long, tube-like cells like a bunch of drinking straws. However these cells have end partitions, like small screens, that allow water to pass, but block the passage of air. Air is drawn into the end of the rose stem when it is cut from the plant. A small bubble of air is formed and trapped within. With the base of the stem blocked with air, no liquid can get up the stem, when it is placed in water.

Also the rose leaves continue to produce sugars for a short time when a rose flower is cut from the plant. Normally these sugars are transferred down to the root, but with nowhere else to go, once they reach the base of the cut stems, they tend to be drawn up into the water conducting cells. Here they can crystallize out into a solid mass blocking the free passage of water, especially if air is already present.

As a result of cutting off its water supply, your rose could wilt and die, even if it is replaced in water with no further treatment. Fortunately, this blockage is limited to the bottom half inch of stem. By removing the stem base under water, the clogged part of the stem is removed. Only the end of the stem needs to be submerged for this. A small water droplet remains on the cut end allowing you to safely transfer your rose to a vase. Do not leave the cut stem out in the air to dry out.

If you find a cut or scrape, above the water level, in the stem of a wilted rose, there may be a blockage at that point. Re-cut the stem above the injured section under water.

Roses in Floral Foam

When you receive your roses, thoroughly soak the floral foam in water containing a floral preservative solution. Cut the foam to fit the shape of your container, leaving enough space for a reserve of water. Floral foam is easier to cut when it is wet.

When your roses are arranged in floral foam, you should always keep it thoroughly saturated with fresh water and floral preservative solution. Fill up the container to the top daily. Check that your rose stems are pushed firmly into the foam, and that the stem bases are well under the water level. Do not move your stem ends afterwards or you may introduce an air pocket at the base. Remove spent blooms to keep the display looking fresh.

Types of Rose Cut Flowers

Rose cut flowers fall into four main types - large, medium, small and spray roses.

Large roses are mainly hybrid teas. The open flower measures 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) across on a stem 16-36 inches (40-90 cm) long. Older traditional varieties include 'Visa', 'Madelon', 'Ilona' (red), 'Sonia', 'Pink Delight' (pink), 'Aalsmeer Gold', 'Cocktail 80' (yellow),and 'White Masterpiece' (white).

Medium sized roses or Sweetheart roses bear an open flower 2.75-4 inches (7-10 cm) across. Stem length is 10-24 inches (25-60 cm). Varieties include 'Jaguar', 'Mercedes' (red), 'Golden Times' (yellow), 'Carol', 'Belinda' (pink), 'Champagne' (cream), and 'Jack Frost' (white). There is sometimes confusion regarding the name 'Sweetheart' since it has also been used to refer to large and mini roses.

Small or mini roses have a flower head less than 2.75 inches (7 cm) across on stems up to 16 inches (40 cm) long. Varieties include 'Red Garnette', 'Motrea' (red) and 'Marimba' (pink).

Spray roses carry many small flowers 2-2.75 inches (5-7 cm) across on a single stem. Varieties include 'Gloria Mundia' (red) and 'Doris Rijkers' (pink).