Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Caring for cut roses
• Method 2 of 2: Care for roses in your garden
• Tips
• Necessities

An elegant rose bush is always something impressive, but once roses have had their day, they often lose a lot of their magic. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to extend their life, whether they are in your garden or in a vase in your kitchen. By making sure your roses get plenty of fresh water and balanced plant food or glucose and are kept at a constant temperature, you can keep them looking their best for days or weeks to come.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Caring for cut roses

1. Start with a clean vase. Before displaying the roses, rotate the vase in your dishwasher or wash it thoroughly by hand with antibacterial soap. The use of a clean container is important, because dirty vases often contain germs and mineral and chemical sediments from tap water.
   • If you regularly use the same vase, make it a habit to scrub it clean between uses.
   • Make sure the inside of the container is immaculate. The residue left over from previous flowers can speed up the wilting of your new roses.
2. Fill your vase with distilled or purified water. Use bottled water to keep your cut roses moist or invest in a water purification system to filter the water that comes out of the tap. Roses thrive in water with a pH that is as neutral as possible, so they won't wither or lose color as quickly as water that is too hard or too soft.
   • If you are using tap water in your vase, leave it in the fridge overnight so that the chlorine can evaporate before adding it to the roses.
   • Water purification tablets can also help bring questionable water to a more appropriate pH immediately. Follow the product's instructions to add the exact number of tablets to the water, depending on the amount of water you are using, and wait at least 30 minutes before putting the roses in.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the water in your vase. Plain granulated sugar is one of the simplest and most effective ways to nourish cut flowers. A good rule of thumb is about 2 tablespoons per gallon of water. The roses will absorb the sugary solution through the stems and convert it into beneficial glucose, leaving the cells and tissues lush and full.
   • Avoid sugar substitutes such as aspartame, saccharin or stevia. Since these substances are not chemically broken down in the same way, they will not have the same effect on your roses.
   • It is important to keep in mind that flowers are living things that need to be fed, even when cut, placed in a vase and used as decoration in the home.
4. Keep your roses away from direct sunlight and heat. As with fresh fruit and vegetables, it is important to keep cut flowers cool for storage. In general, a cooler environment is better for your roses. Try to resist the temptation to place them on a windowsill or in a photogenic beam of sunlight for a long time. Intense heat will cause them to wilt quickly.
   • Consider keeping your roses in the refrigerator at night or when they should not be visible. Just make sure they don't come into contact with other products, because the gases released by fruits and vegetables can be bad for their lifespan.
   • If you place the roses in an area that is usually warm and dusty, place them somewhere with some air circulation, such as next to the main entrance, an open window, or a ventilation hatch.
5. Place your flowers far away from fruits and vegetables. As fresh produce ages, ethylene is released, a gaseous substance that initiates the ripening process. If your roses are too close, it is possible that the ethylene in the air will have the same effect on them. Therefore, it is better to put either a vase of roses or a bowl of fruit on the cupboard, and not both.
   • If possible, you should keep fresh foods in the refrigerator.
   • On the other hand, if you place the roses near fruits and vegetables, they will flower more quickly if they were cut in a rather stunted state.
6. Cut your roses early in the day. The countdown of the lifespan of your roses starts the moment you detach them from the growing plant. In order not to waste a single minute, cut your roses in the morning when they are still fully hydrated. The warmer it gets outside, the more valuable the moisture they lose.
   • If you really insist on cutting your roses in the afternoon or evening, do so immediately after watering so that they have the best chance of survival.
   • Ignore florist or grocery store roses that look wilted or drooping. Probably these flowers were not well hydrated when they were cut.
7. Change the water in the vase every 1-3 days. A good rule of thumb is to change the water when it starts to look cloudy, no matter how long it has been in the vase. By regularly changing the water in the container you can prevent bacteria build-up and ensure that your roses always have fresh water to absorb. In addition, it ensures that the entire flower arrangement continues to smell fresh.
   • Don't forget to add a little sugar to the fresh water.
   • If necessary, you can water the top water in between watering until it is still halfway to stems.
8. Trim an inch off the stems each time you refill the vase with water. Use clean, sharp pruning shears or a knife to cut the stems diagonally. Cutting at an angle allows a larger area to come into contact with the water. This will help your thirsty roses absorb water.
   • It is important that every cut you make is beautiful and precise. Treating your roses with a blunt knife can damage the stems, making it more difficult for the moisture to transport through the damaged cells.
   • Regular trimming alone makes it possible to keep your roses for an extra week or longer.

Method 2 of 2: Care for roses in your garden

1. Plant your roses in well-drained soil. Loose, crumbly soil allows water to pass through better, so your roses don't run the risk of rotting from oversaturation. This is crucial for your roses to thrive, as they require a lot more water than most other types of flowers. After watering your roses, you should see the soil start to dry out after a few hours.
   • Most rose varieties prefer soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7. You can check the pH of your soil with a home test kit, available at most garden centers and nurseries.
   • If you live in a place where it is wet all year round, consider mixing 1/3 of sand or gravel into your soil to improve drainage.
2. Enrich your soil with organic ingredients. During the spring and summer, when most growth occurs, spread 5 - 7.5 cm of natural garden material such as compost, cow dung or peat moss over your soil. These additives are packed with nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients that roses need to be healthy and vibrant.
   • After the first growing season, you should continue to feed the roses regularly every 1-2 months.
   • Consult a horticultural specialist at a local garden center or nursery to learn more about which ingredients will be best for the type of roses you are growing.
3. Apply mulch around your roses to help retain moisture. Apply a 5-7.5 cm layer of mulch over the entire area, but leave 5–15 cm around the base of the plants for ventilation. Any kind of commercially sold mulch is good for this. You can of course also go shopping and look for mixtures specially formulated for roses.
   • For a more economical approach, you can try recycling garden waste such as leaves, wood chips, grass or even small stones into handy mulch.
   • Be prepared to apply a new layer of mulch once a year in the spring, or whenever the original layer gets thinner than 5 cm.
4. Water your roses 1-2 times a day. The exact amount of water they need depends on the specific species and their size (as well as the unique properties of the soil). Your best bet is to moisten the soil without saturating it. Do the finger test between watering. If it feels dry then it is time to water again.
   • Remember that roses in containers will dry out faster than roses in the ground, so you will need to water more often.
   • Roses are thirsty plants, but you still have to be careful not to overwater. Excess moisture can lead to all kinds of problems such as wilting, pests or root rot - all things that can cause a healthy plant to die quickly.
5. Remove dead flowers to encourage new growth. When you notice an old flower starting to droop or lose petals, use a pair of scissors to cut the stem back to the first cluster of 5 leaves. Remove dead and dying flowers as soon as possible to keep your roses looking vibrant and attractive.
   • Before you start serious pruning, put on gloves up to your elbows to protect your hands and arms from the sharp thorns.
   • Don't hesitate to prune any leaves, stems or shoots that look unhealthy.
   • It is good practice to check your roses for dying flowers about twice a week during the blooming season.
6. Treat your roses immediately when you notice symptoms. When roses get sick, they focus their energy on tackling the cause of the disease rather than growth and reproduction. Check your roses by looking for warning signs such as falling petals, wilting and discoloration. After removing all diseased and wilting leaves and flowers, spray the plants with an appropriate chemical or plant fungicide to prevent further damage.
   • Permanent moisture is an invitation to harmful bacteria and fungi. You can do your part in preventing disease by planting your roses where they get plenty of full sun so they can dry out completely between waterings.
   • Roses can be affected by common diseases such as mildew. These diseases are often accompanied by visible symptoms such as pustules, dark spots or growth under the leaves.
7. Prune your roses during their dormancy period. The best time to prune your roses is in late winter or early spring, just before the new blossoms emerge. Prune away dead wood and older branches down to the green-white core below and don't hesitate to remove more growth than you think is necessary. It is usually safe to prune roses to a third or even half their original size.
   • Like removing dead flowers, pruning serves to remove dying parts of the plant so that new growth can flourish.
   • A strategic manicure also makes it possible to adjust the shape and appearance of your rose bushes exactly to your own wishes.

Tips

• With proper care and attention, it is possible to keep cut roses for up to 2 weeks. Rose bushes can come back year after year with fantastic flowers.
• If possible, you should avoid planting a new rose bush in a place where one has previously existed. Reusing land can slow down the growth of new plants and increase the risk of disease spreading in the soil.
• If you grow multiple rose bushes, you have to keep a few meters apart so that pests and diseases cannot pass from plant to plant.
• If possible, always move or cover your roses (with a frost cloth, thick blanket, or thick cloth) to protect them from freezing temperatures, both indoors and out.

Necessities

Cut Roses

• Clean vase
• Fresh water
• Pruning shears or sharp knife
• Sugar

Garden roses

• Well-drained soil
• Organic material
• Mulch
• Water
• Scissors and other pruning equipment
• Chemical or vegetable fungicides