The roses you receive from that special somone you'll will want to do
everything you can do to assure that they stay fresh and beautiful. Here
are some tips to help you achieve that goal.
Prepare a clean vase full of flower preservative solution, mixed
accurately according to the directions on the package. Mix with tap
or distilled water, but avoid using water from a home or commercial
water softener. If you are using floral foam in your vase, before placing
the foam in the vase, saturate it in the preservative solution by allowing
it to sink of its own weight in a container of the solution. When placing
the foam in the vase, be sure it is fully submerged in the preservative
solution.
Remove any foliage that will be under water after the roses are arranged.
While holding the stems under water in a sink or under running water,
cut about an inch off each stem with a sharp knife or shears. Immediately
place the rose in the vase of preservative solution.
After arranging, if possible, place the arrangement in a cool, dark
room or a refrigerator for 2-3 hours (but do not allow them to freeze).
When picking a place to display your roses, choose a cool spot that
is out of the sun and out of any drafts, and away from any heat sources.
As with roses received in a vase, check the container daily and add
preservative solution as needed to keep the vase full and floral foam
submerged.
Roses in a Vase
Be sure that your roses do not run out of preservative solution in
their vase. Check roses daily, and add preservative solution (as required)
keeping the vase full. If floral foam is used, it must be kept submerged
by adding preservative solution to the vase. To make preservative solution,
mix the contents of a flower preservative packet with tap water or distilled
water, according to the directions on the package.
IMPORTANT: Avoid using water from a home or commercial water softener.
If Roses Should Wilt Prematurely
Premature wilting (within a day or two of receiving or arranging)
may indicate that there is air trapped in the stem that is preventing
preservative solution from moving up to the flower. Also, there may
be a cut or scrape in the bark above the water level.
To revive the rose, re-cut the stem an inch or so from the bottom
or above any damaged area of the stem, and then submerge the entire
rose in a basin or shallow pan of warm water (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit).
Be sure the stem is straightened out, and that the end of the stem stays
submerged. It will usually revive within an hour or so, and can be replaced
in the arrangement.
