We’re on a mission to turn Valentine’s Day into Valentine’s Week.
No, we’re not talking about a loved one having to send you flowers for seven days in a row. Rather, we want to make sure that you get a week’s worth of enjoyment out of those beautiful fresh-cut roses you just received.
With just a little bit of effort on your part, high-quality roses from your local florist should open and last at least five days, and many times for seven days or more.
If you receive roses in a vase
- They will use more water than you think, so add water pretty much daily.
- If after five days or so the water is getting pretty dirty, pull the roses out, re-cut the stems and put them back in the vase with fresh water. Add a packet of floral preservative, available from your florist.
- If the water is relatively clean, it is best to leave it alone as it will have some preservative left in it.
If you receive roses loose or in a box
- If the roses came with tubes on the stems, remove the tubes and re-cut the stems about 1 inch from the bottom. It is best to cut at an angle, which creates more surface area for water intake.
- Place the roses in a vase with water that is room temperature to a little warm.
- Add floral preservative to the water; you should have received a packet with the delivery.
- Only change the water if it becomes noticeably dirty.
If your roses don’t begin to open
- Within a day or two, your roses should begin to open. If they don’t, remove them from the vase, re-cut the stems (at an angle), and return them to the vase.
- If they still do not begin to open, re-cut the stems but this time also float the flowers in a bath of water for an hour or two to rehydrate them. Then return them to the vase. Most times, this will bring the roses around.
Keep them cool
- Keep roses away from a heat source, such as a vent or direct sunlight.
- When they aren’t on display, or while you’re sleeping, you can even place the roses in an unheated room or garage.
Here’s to a Happy Valentine’s Day or, better yet, Valentine’s Week.
