Care Of Cut Roses

A major reason why roses are grown everywhere is for cut roses. Good care of cut roses will give you more time to enjoy their colors and fragrances.

Some varieties last longer then others, but there are some practical way to make rose flowers last longer. Try some of ideas and tricks below on how to make roses last longer.

It all starts at the moment of cutting ... the best time of the day to cut roses is during mornings, while flowers are still not completely opened.

Always use clean and sharp tools to cut the flowers; this is very important not only to make the cut flower last longer, but especially to prevent diseases on the spot where the stem was cut. Try to cut above a leaf joint, a lateral stem or bud, to reduce disease risks and encourage growth on the plant. Cut stems around 30 cm / 12 inches long.

Secateurs are the best tool for this job. Keep them sharp and wipe the blades after each time you use them. Otherwise, a clean and sharp knife will do the job most of the times. If you want to have rose hips, for the attractive look and to attract birds to your garden, remember to leave some flowers on the plants, otherwise you will not get hips.

Make your cut roses last longer

After cutting the stem from the plant, give it another cut at an angle, which will make it last longer. Remove leafs from the bottom of the stem and some people recommend also removing the thorns.

Don’t leave fresh cut flowers for long without water. Change the water of roses every 2-3 days and make sure there isn’t any leaf or petal left on the water, these would make the fresh water go still faster. There are specific products to feed cut flowers, which you put in the water to help they last longer. A cheap and easy alternative is to add a bit of sugar to the water, or salt. Try it and see if it really works.

Don’t put flowers near fruit, as fruit is in decomposition and so will help flowers die faster. All flowers last longer in clean and healthy environments; so open windows daily for fresh air.

Mix roses with different plants in vases for different decoration effects. Ferns are a classic choice. Use wire around the stem to make the rose stem stand up. The roses in the photographs are white "Iceberg" and red "Deep Secret", mixed with fern leaves and glossy camillia leaves. A simple arrangement, but stunning to look at, and also very fragrant.

Some uses for rose petals

Flowers that have opened too far, or that have opened once indoors, can be still of use for decoration. Some ideas on how to use rose petals:

Mix petals with water in ice cubes and you will get different and decorative ice cubes. These are great for use in parties and cocktails.

Dried roses are also nice. Hang the flower upside down in an airing place for a couple of days. Petals can be used for decorating cakes and salads.

Choose a nice bowl and add petals and use it as a nice decorative touch in a room. If you don’t plan to use petals right away, you can freeze them for later use. Put them inside a small plastic bag, leave space between petals (don’t get the air out) and put on the freezer.

Good rose varieties for cut flowers

Though almost all varieties can be used for cut flowers, some are better then others. Try the following varieties, most are Hybrid Teas:

• Rosa Pope John Paul II – double white flowers, very fragrant
• Whisky Mac – very fragrant bright amber flowers
• Margaret Merril (Floribunda) - pure white flowers
• ‘Deep secret’ - black to red roses with rich scent
• ‘Lover’s Meeting’ - fragrant orange-red flowers
• Fragrant Cloud - coral red with very strong scent
• ‘Just Joey’ - coppery-orange flowers very scented
• ‘Fragrant Delight’ (Floribunda ) - highly scented, large flowers coppery-pink flowers
• Sheila’s Perfume – fragrant yellow flowers
• Warm Wishes - peach to salmon flowers with a sweet and strong scent
• Lovely Lady – pink-orange flowers, nice scent
• Rosemary Harkness - bronze to orange flowers
• Tequilla Sunrise - strong yellow flowers, light fragrance
• Valencia – yellow- amber flowers with nice fragrance
• ‘Korresia’ - fragrant bright yellow flowers
• ‘The Queen Elizabeth’ - light pink flowers
• 'Gertrude Jekyll' – deep pink flow flowers that smell glorious; this is an English shrub rose and was given an Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by The Royal Horticultural Society.