Everything Roses

Cutting Roses for Display

Quote: These roses under my window make no reference to former roses or to better ones; they are for what they are; they exist with God to-day.

There is no time to them. There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), poet, philosopher.







What could possibly be more fragrant or look more attractive than a vase of beautiful roses on your table or the table of someone you love?


Roses, especially hybrid tea roses, are made to be cut and they can last a very long time in the vase if you follow these simple steps.

Always make sure that you cut your roses with a sharp and clean pair of shears.

Dull shears will crush the rose's stem, and dirty shears can transmit disease to your other blooms.

Immediately place the freshly cut cane in a bucket of water.

This will prevent air from entering the stem and shortening the life of the flower.


Roses store and process their nutrients on a schedule.

Hold off cutting your roses until after 3 PM when their nutrient levels are the highest.

It's too late to cut a bud when it is fully open. Choose buds which have started to open, but are only 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through the process.

Don't remove all of the leaves from the cut stem. Leave at least 3 to help feed the bloom, but cut off all leaves that will be below the water level of the vase.

Once you have picked all the roses that you will be cutting for the day, bring them inside and start the water conditioning and hardening process.

Roses can live for an amazingly long time in a vase if you understand what it takes to keep them alive.

The first threat to a cut rose's health is the air that it sucked up when you cut the stem outdoors.

This little "air pocket" when it enters the cut stem works its way up to the bloom where it ultimately shortens the flowers life.

That air needs to be replaced with water (If you placed the stem in water immediately after cutting there will be no air bubble, however, the following steps will lengthen the life of cut roses).

The easiest way to do that is to fill a bowl with hot tap water, as hot as you can stand to put your hands in, but not scalding hot.

Add a packet floral preservative (available at a floral supply shop), plus a couple drops of bleach.

One by one, lift the roses from the water and use your shears to cut approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the end of each stem. As you trim each stem, place it into the bowl and leave the roses until the water cools to room temperature. Do not let the buds touch the hot water.

Fill your favorite vase with warm water, add a drop or two of bleach and a bit of cut flower preservative. Then add your roses.

This small bit of extra work, as well as the addition of a few drops of bleach, will extend the vase life of your cut roses longer than you can imagine.





Whenever the water starts to get cloudy, remove the roses, refill with hot water, add a drop or two of bleach, and return the roses to the vase at once.

If your blooms begin to show signs of wilting, re-cut about an 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch from the base of the stems and place them into hot water for about an hour before returning them to the vase.

These simple tips and tricks have proven time after time to add long life and vitality to cut roses and flowers. From garden to vase, roses will enliven any home or living space.

Good Luck and Happy Gardening!