How to Keep Roses Fresh in the Vase

Keeping roses fresh looking, when cut, is the goal of every gardener and recipient of a bouquet of flowers from the florist. Most people try all kinds of tricks to keep them fresh looking. This usually involves adding something to the water, like bleach, 7-up or the contents of the packet the florist included with the bouquet. None of these are really very affective. Usually, your roses wilt and die within a few days.

Let me teach you how to keep your roses fresh for up to a week or more, without any additives to the water. I have kept both florist bouquets, and roses cut from my garden, looking fresh for up to two weeks by doing these simple steps.

1. Take the roses out of the box and remove the paper wrapping.

2. Remove any water tubes from the ends of the rose stems.

3. Strip away all foliage that would be under water when you put the roses in the vase. Hold the roses in the dry vase to get an idea of how much you will need to strip off, and to determine how much to cut off the stems so that the roses are properly proportioned to the vase.

4. Fill a vase with warm water and set it by the sink, ready to receive the roses as you prepare them.

5. Turn on the faucet to warm and let the water run as you work.

6. Hold a rose stem end under the running water at the point where you will make your cut.

7. Cut one inch or more from the end of the stem with sharp scissors while holding the stem under the running stream of water at the point of the cut.

8. Immediately place that rose in the vase and repeat the process until all the roses are in the vase.

When you receive fresh roses in a vase from the florist, they aren't as fussy and don't need the intervention that boxed bouquets need, but they still need attention to keep them looking their best.

1. Remove the vase from its stabilizing package.

2. Top the vase off with fresh water.

3. Completely change the water every day by dumping out the old water and refilling the vase with fresh water. This will keep bacteria from building up in your vase. It is the bacteria that makes your roses deteriorate.

1. Always cut roses in the morning.

2. Take a vase of water with you out to the garden, along with sharp cutting shears.

3. Select a rose stem to cut.

4. Cut the rose down the stem longer than what you need to fit in the vase. You will trim it down more later.

5. Immediately place the rose in the vase filled with water.

6. Repeat this process until your vase is full.

7. Bring the vase in the house to the kitchen sink.

8. Use the same process of stripping foliage and cutting the stems under water as described in "Boxed Bouquets."

9. When all the roses are cut and hydrated, arrange them to your liking in a vase.

Bacteria in the water will cause your stems to rot. This will reduce their ability to "drink," causing the rose to dry out and wilt. Keeping the water clean will slow the decay of the stems, helping them do their job longer.

Air creates a barrier between the water and the roses. When you cut a stem while dry, air pockets form at the end of the stem. Water cannot move past this barrier, causing your roses to dry out and die. Cutting the stems under water prevents the formation of this barrier. The stems can to their job and bring water up to the blooms so they last longer.

My sister sent me the roses in this picture for my birthday. They were in a box with NO water tubes, so I was a little worried about how they were going to do. I immediately trimmed their stems under water and got them into a vase. In this picture, they are a week old. I found a couple of them drooping a bit this morning, so I re-cut the stems as i have described and put them back in the vase. They were perky and lovely again in no time. I expect they will last at least another week. I have also been changing the water every day.

Every gardener needs help with planning, planting and maintaining a healthy garden. Roses have particular needs to keep them healthy and vibrant looking. Here are some books to help you with your roses.