Helping roses open after they are cut

We often hear that we should cut roses while they are still in bud form. This is true to a certain extent and you may have noticed that florists usually deliver roses that are not fully opened. This because it means that they will last as long as possible. That said, if you have a bunch of roses that are still in bud form, they might not open if you don’t help them along a little. Fortunately, if you follow these steps, you will get the most out of your bouquet.

Step 1:

Fill a large bucket or your sink with some lukewarm water. This temperature water is easier for the stems to absorb water and nutrients quickly and effectively. The water shold not be too hot or cold or it will do more harm than good.

Step 2:

Submerge the flowers until just below the buds. Submerging the buds can actually hurt the flowers instead of helping them.

Step 3:

Trim each stem under water and do so at a 45 degree angle. This will ensure that the stems does not rest flat on the bottom of the vase. It’s also important to trim the stems under water so that ir bubbles don’t get into the stem and impede absorption. Proper absorption will encourage the roses to open up completely and without too much delay.

Step 4:

Remove extra leaves from the stems. You don’t want the nutrients to go to the leaves when they can go to the flower instead. This means that all the water and food absorbed by the stem will help the rose stay fresh and last longer. It also encourages the flower to open up since there is an ample food supply.

Step 5:

Fill your clean vase with some room temperature water and add floral preserve. Let the preserve dissolve completely before adding your flower to the vase and keep your bouquet away from heat, air conditioners, direct sunlight, and wind.

Step 6:

Once your roses are in the vase, you can take a few minutes to tease the tops of the buds. This will encourage them to open up. Don’t be too rough or you could cause damage. You should only pry the petals open a few millimetres each time. Breathing on the petals provides warm air which also helps them open up. Check for guard petals and remove the guard petals since they are not as beautiful and they can hold the bud shut.

Make sure that you change the vase water regularly and trim the stems every few days to make it easier for them to absorb water and nutrients. Every time you change the water, you should add more flower preserve to make sure that they are provided with everything they need.