What causes rose necks to bend?

There are few things more disappointing than ordering a beautiful rose bouquet only to watch these precious blooms start to bend. While the flower looks perfectly fine for the most part, the bent appearance will ruin the flower display. Part of preventing this problem is understanding the causes. Here are some reasons why roses tend to bend.

Stress to the flower after harvesting

When flowers are picked from the plant, they experience an amount of stress. In order to keep stress to a minimum, these blooms need to be kept at the right temperature and they need to be properly hydrated. If not, this can cause even the most hardy rose to bend.

Storage concerns

When you visit a flower shop, you will notice that they have several bouquets on display and ready for immediate purchase. These bouquets are not necessarily stored at the right temperature because they are in the store itself. If you want to get the best value for money and avoid buying a rose bouquet that will begin to bend within a few days, you should ask the florist to create a new design. Ask for flowers that are in partial bud form and make sure that you inspect them for any signs of deterioration before you accept the bouquet.

Ethylene exposure

One of the biggest mistakes you can make with flowers, including that perfect rose display, is to place it near fresh fruit. Bananas are particularly well-known for emitting a kind of gas that causes surrounding fresh produce (including flowers) to ripen or perish faster. They are not the only fruit that can have this effect on your blooms so, to prevent this from happening, you should keep any bouquets far away from fresh fruit.

Dehydration

While many people cannot fathom the idea of a rose or any other flower bouquet being without water, this is actually a fairly common problem. Fresh flowers need a constant supply of clean water. So, your florist should transport them in a minimal amount of water, at least, and you need to place them in water as soon as they arrive. In addition, you should check the water level and water quality in your vase on a daily basis. When the water level becomes low or if the water is cloudy, it’s time to remove the flowers, place them in a bucket or sink full of water and clean your vase. Refill with clean water and add flower food to help extend the life of your blooms.

There you have it, these are the most common reasons behind that bent rose neck. By purchasing quality flowers and taking proper care of them, you will prevent this common problem from occuring and your blooms will last that much longer.