CARING FOR FRESH CUT ROSES
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"
William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet)
In literature and poetry for centuries, Roses are perhaps the most beloved flower in the world. Roses have been a symbol of love and passion since Roman times.
On Valentine's Day roses are in incredible demand. Of course this increases the cost at this time of year. To get the most out of your investment you can follow a few basic steps.
The more water that reaches the flower, the longer it will last. To ensure this process proper cutting is essential. Roses need a clean cut on an angle to open the stem and absorb water. A blade or sharp knife is a good tool for this. Scissors or pruning shears unfortunately close the stem and are therefore not a good choice.
Keep your fresh roses out of the sun. Direct sunlight will dehydrate the flower and lessen its life span.
After a few days or when your flowers begin to droop it is time to freshen them up. Remove the flowers and clean the vase, then refill with fresh water. Give your roses a fresh 'clean' cut as described above and put them in the vase. This will give your roses a few more days of beauty.
Flower crystals* do work so I add them to all flower arrangements. Flower shops and even super markets supply crystals free of charge, so remember to ask for it.
You can easily dry roses and enjoy them all winter long. Do this while the roses are still fresh, before the flowers droop or the petals drop off. Using a hanger and twist ties, simply hang the roses up-side-down, leaving space between them for good air circulation. Hang them in a dry room out of direct sunlight, which will help preserve color. Leave them undisturbed until they are fully dried, approximately two or three weeks. When dried they are ready for display.
*If you don't have flower crystals a regular lemon lime soda (not diet) will also do the trick. (P. Allen Smith)
Happy Valentines Day,
James
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Symbolism of rose colors. RED: Love & Passion |
On Valentine's Day roses are in incredible demand. Of course this increases the cost at this time of year. To get the most out of your investment you can follow a few basic steps.
The more water that reaches the flower, the longer it will last. To ensure this process proper cutting is essential. Roses need a clean cut on an angle to open the stem and absorb water. A blade or sharp knife is a good tool for this. Scissors or pruning shears unfortunately close the stem and are therefore not a good choice.
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WHITE: Marriage, Spirituality & New Beginnings |
After a few days or when your flowers begin to droop it is time to freshen them up. Remove the flowers and clean the vase, then refill with fresh water. Give your roses a fresh 'clean' cut as described above and put them in the vase. This will give your roses a few more days of beauty.
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YELLOW: Friendship, Joy & Good Health. |
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PINK: Love & Gratitude |
You can easily dry roses and enjoy them all winter long. Do this while the roses are still fresh, before the flowers droop or the petals drop off. Using a hanger and twist ties, simply hang the roses up-side-down, leaving space between them for good air circulation. Hang them in a dry room out of direct sunlight, which will help preserve color. Leave them undisturbed until they are fully dried, approximately two or three weeks. When dried they are ready for display.
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Hanging up side down is the easiest way to dry your roses. |
*If you don't have flower crystals a regular lemon lime soda (not diet) will also do the trick. (P. Allen Smith)
Happy Valentines Day,
James
