It only takes a few days in a vase for a lovely bouquet of roses to begin to droop and wilt. Roses usually wilt because they were cut too early or they were out of water too long before being placed in a vase.
If you want your roses to last longer, follow these simple steps to revive them.
- Remove the roses from the vase.
- Place the roses in lukewarm water and separate them.
- While each rose is still submerged, make a fresh cut on the stem. Keep the rose under water to avoid getting air in the stem.
- Clean the vase and add fresh water before putting the roses back in the vase.
- Preserve the health of the roses by adding some 7Up to the water to ward off bacteria.
- Be sure to freshen the water in the vase each day.
The Texas Department of Agriculture recommends:
“To keep your roses looking fresh, try adding these everyday household items to the water. An aspirin, which turns the water slightly acidic, or a bit of sugar or mouthwash will help the flowers last longer. Be sure to change the vase water daily.”
Updated June 1, 2009
