Check the water supply immediately.
Add lukewarm water as needed. Avoid water from a water softener. For best
results, use floral preservative, if provided. Mix the preservative with room
temperature water, in the proportion recommended on the package.
Display your roses in a cool location, out of
direct sunlight or drafts, and away from electrical appliances (for safety and
to avoid heat.)
Check your arrangement daily to make sure it
has plenty of clear, fresh water. If the water appears cloudy after a couple of
days, replace it completely.
If some roses should start to droop their
heads prematurely, it may be due to air trapped in the stems. Recut the stems
underwater as described below. Then, let the roses float on the water surface
with the stem ends below water and the rose heads in a straightened position.
In many cases, the roses will revive and harden within about an hour, ready to
be returned to your arrangement.
Remove any water vials which may have been
shipped with your roses. These provide only a temporary water source during
delivery. However, do not remove floral wires which may have been attached to
individual rose stems. These provide helpful support for some roses.
Remove any leaves which will be below water,
being careful not to scrape or cut through the green bark of the stems. Air may
enter stems at such injuries, blocking water uptake.
Prepare a deep vase or other container with an
ample supply of lukewarm water. Avoid water from a water softener. Be sure to
use a clean container, and, for best results, include floral preservative, if
provided. Mix the preservative with room temperature water, in the proportion
recommended on the package. Floral preservative provides sugars, balances pH,
and limits bacterial growth.
Fill a sink or wide container with several
inches of warm water. While holding each stem under water, cut about one inch
diagonally off the end with a sharp knife or shears. Place the roses in your
container before the stems dry off. If floral foam is used, saturate it
thoroughly, and insert stems firmly.
Gently remove any outermost petals which may
have been bruised during shipping. Removing a few petals will not damage a
blossom and will often help it open more fully.
Display your roses in a cool location, out of
direct sunlight or drafts, and away from electrical appliances (for safety and
to avoid heat.) Then, check your arrangement daily to make sure it has plenty
of clear, fresh water. If the water appears cloudy after a couple of days,
replace it completely.
If some roses should start to droop their
heads prematurely, it may be due to air trapped in the stems. Recut the stems
underwater as described above. Then, let the roses float on the water surface
with the stem ends below water and the rose heads in a straightened position.
In many cases, the roses will revive and harden within about an hour, ready to
be returned to your arrangement.
