There's nothing quite like a gorgeous bunch of roses to make you feel incredibly special . . . until a few days later when your beautiful bouquet starts drooping! Aside from making sure to select refrigerated blooms from the florist that will last longer, try these tips to help you keep your stems alive for more than just a few days.
1. Cut the Stems Properly
Cutting the stem at a 45-degree angle helps the roses take in water more easily. Also, keep the stems under running water as you cut, which you should do every few days to remove the damaged ends.
2. Get Rid of Leaves
Any part of the stem that will be in water should be bare. Leaving leaves on the stem to sit in water will cause them to die and spread bacteria in the water, which will quickly kill your gorgeous roses.
3. Keep Them Cool
Don't place your roses in direct sun, under intense electric lights, or near hot home appliances. That's a surefire way to kill them quickly. You might even want to keep them in the refrigerator periodically or at night. The bottom line is, things won't get thorny if you keep your roses in a cool atmosphere.
4. Say Yes to Flower Food
You can use the packaged flower food that often comes with your beautiful roses, but there are also household products you can use to keep your roses lasting longer:
- Soda: Bizarre, yes, but add about a quarter cup of lemon-lime soda to the water and your roses might be incredibly perky! Who knew Sprite could be so useful?
- Bleach: It sounds so contradictory, doesn't it? But a quarter teaspoon of bleach per quart of water may help keep bacteria in the water low. But be very careful when measuring: too much bleach and your roses are goners!
- Penny or Aspirin: Some people swear by adding a penny or aspirin tablet to the water to help deal with bacteria levels.
- Sugar and Apple Cider Vinegar: Apparently adding two tablespoons of ACV and two of sugar to the water before placing your roses in the vase will keep your roses alive for a longer period of time.
5. Change the Water Frequently!
Perhaps the easiest and most important tip (for any bouquet!) is to frequently give them fresh water.