How to Preserve Cut Roses
- 1). Water the rose bush the night before you plan on cutting. A full rose bush is able to consume and process water more effectively than a cut stem. Adequate pre-cutting watering keeps the cut rose healthier for longer.
- 2). Snip off the rose stem at a 45-degree angle at the nearest y-shaped junction before sunrise. If you snip the rose midway up the stalk, new bud growth is more unpredictable, and the bush ends up looking asymmetrical. Pruning before sunrise is healthier for the plant.
- 3). Clean a vase with hot water, antibacterial soap and a sponge. An unsanitary vase causes quicker wilting.
- 4). Rinse the vase thoroughly, ensuring that there are no suds left over.
- 5). Fill the vase with distilled water. City water supplies sometimes contain chlorine or other contaminants. Distilled water preserves the cut rose for longer.
- 6). Cut your rose stems again while they are submerged underneath the distilled water. Making a fresh 45-degree cut underwater helps reduce air bubbles as the stem feeds.
- 7). Dump out the water daily and replace it with new clean, distilled water. Snip off a small section of the submerged rose each time you change the water.
- 8). Place the rose vase in a refrigerator whenever you are not displaying the roses. Cold air slows the cut stem's natural decomposition. Just make sure the conditions are not so cold that the vase's water freezes.
