How Do You Keep Store Bought Roses Alive?

Having a gorgeous bouquet of roses in your home is one of life’s simple pleasures. Whether you get them as a special gift or buy them for yourself, there’s nothing like the beauty of a rose.

But did you know that you can keep those store-bought roses alive for more than just a few days? With the proper care and attention, those beautiful flowers can last for weeks. Here are some tips on how to keep store-bought roses alive.

Prepare The Vessel

It’s important to clean the vase you plan to put your flowers in. Use a mild soap and warm water to ensure that all debris is removed from the vessel before putting in the roses. Be sure to rinse away any soap residue with clean water before adding your flowers.

Use Lukewarm Water

When you fill the vase, don’t use water that’s too hot or too cold. Lukewarm water is best because it helps keep the stems from drying out too quickly. For best results, change out the water every two days.

Use Flower Food

Most commercial flower shops provide a packet of flower food with each bouquet of flowers purchased. This special mixture contains several essential elements that help prolong flower life, such as sugar, citric acid and bleach. Mix this in with the lukewarm water before adding your flowers for best results.

Remove Leaves and Guard Petals

Before placing your roses into the vase, remove any leaves that may be below the water line. This will help reduce bacteria growth that could shorten flower life span. Also remove any guard petals (the outer petals) if they are wilting or browning as these can prevent other petals from opening properly due to lack of air circulation.

Snip The Stems

Using sharp gardening shears, make an angled cut at least one inch up from the bottom of each stem right before putting them into your vase of lukewarm water and flower food mixture.

This allows more surface area for absorbing nutrients while also preventing air bubbles from forming within each stem which can block essential flow of nutrients to each individual bloom.

Change The Water

The most important tip for keeping store bought roses alive is to change out their water regularly – at least every two days – using fresh lukewarm water mixed with flower food.

This will help reduce bacterial growth which can cause premature wilting and discoloration of petals as well as encourage better absorption of vital nutrients needed for longer lasting blooms.

Keep The Roses Cool

Roses prefer cooler temperatures so try not to place them near direct sunlight or heating units which can cause excessive evaporation resulting in dryness of petals and shorter bloom times.

Place them in an area where they will receive ample indirect sunlight throughout the day, but away from any direct sun exposure or heat sources during peak hours (10am-4pm).

Prune & Deadhead For Long-Term Health

Once your roses have bloomed, it’s time to prune away any deadheads (old blooms) with sharp shears or scissors leaving only healthy new buds behind on each stem; this encourages new blooms while helping reduce bacteria buildup within each stem which can lead to premature wilting and petal discoloration over time if left untreated.

Provide Adequate Sunlight

In order for your roses to stay healthy and vibrant over time, they need adequate sunlight throughout most parts of their growing cycle (about 8 hours per day).

Providing some shelter from direct sunlight during peak hours (10am – 4pm) however is recommended since this type of exposure can cause excessive evaporation leading to dryness among other issues resulting in shorter lasting blooms over time if not monitored properly.

Conclusion

With proper care and attention, store bought roses can last much longer than just a few days! Cleaning out their vessel before adding fresh lukewarm water mixed with flower food, removing leaves & guard petals below water level as well as snipping stems at an angle helps promote better nutrient absorption while regular changing out their water prevents bacterial growth which can cause premature wilting & discoloration among other issues resulting in shorter lasting blooms over time if not monitored properly. By following these simple tips you’ll be able to enjoy those beautiful store bought roses much longer!