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	Dr. Leda's Rose Journal

Put the Metal to the Petal:
Cutting Roses That Last

By Dr. Leda Horticulture, O. R.
September 2003

Dr. Leda on the art of rose decapitation...

Dear Dr. Leda:

The roses I cut from my garden never seem to last more than a day or two, whereas the roses I buy from a florist stay fresh for a week. Is there anything I can do to make my homegrown roses last longer?

-Pitiful Posies in Piedmont

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Dear PP:

A fragrant bouquet brightens the bedroom

Florists tend to use special roses which have been genetically bred to have long hollow stems to suck up water and slow-opening flowers that hang on to their petals with an unnaturally fierce tenacity. Unfortunately, these traits are often achieved at the expense of hardiness and disease resistance, so many florist varieties can only be grown in high-tech greenhouses or tropical republics where carcinogenic pesticides haven't yet been banned.

But the wily florists do have a few other clever tricks up their sleeves, many of which you can safely try at home. We'll get to those in a moment.

First, a quick review of Rose Economics 101. I have, with my very own eyes, seen cut roses selling for as much as $15 a stem. So, supposing you cut 50 roses each year (a conservative estimate) from a single bush in your garden, you will save $750. If you grow 50 rose bushes, that's $37,500 a year. Thus, the more roses you grow and cut, the wealthier you will be. Roses make you rich! Any questions? Of course not.

Now, on to the tricks. Barring cryogenics or seances, here are the six most effective steps you can take to extend the life of your cut roses.

1. Correct Cutting: In the sweltering inferno of Louisiana, early morning is the time to cut, when the roses have recovered from the previous day's heat stress. Evenings work in cooler climates, but avoid cutting during midday heat. Always make a nice, clean cut with sharp pruners or florist shears; dull scissors will crush the cellular structure of the stems, curtailing water uptake. Roses last longest if they're cut when they're just beyond the bud stage, as the petals are beginning to unfurl. A rule of thumb: roses with more petals can be cut at a more open stage, while roses with fewer petals should be cut tighter. Buds cut before the sepals have turned down will usually refuse to open in the vase. In general, Hybrid Teas tend to last longer than roses with shorter stems and flimsier petals. You'll want to experiment to determine which of the roses you grow are best for cutting.
   
   
2. The Container: Bacteria and fungi can plug the tiny stem tubes that conduct water up to the flower, so you can magically extend the vase life of your roses by using a scrupulously clean vase. Merely rinsing it out is not sufficient; soak it with a 5% solution of household bleach, or run it through a very hot soapy dishwasher, and use a bottle brush to scrub away all that slimy green residue. Personally, I adore the look of roses in a silver pitcher, but I've found that some metal containers (copper and silver, alas, but not stainless steel) seem to shorten the life of my roses.
   
   

3. 'Veteran's Honor' stays for breakfast.

   Re-Cutting: This is a biggie. After you've cut your roses once, bring them indoors and place them in a large bowl or bucket of lukewarm water. Make a second cut underwater, about an inch up the stem. This prevents air bubbles (embolisms) from plugging the cells of the stem's water-conducting tissues. Using a clean sharp knife or shears, make the new cut at a 45 degree angle to create more surface for water absorption and to prevent the stem from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase. Strip off any leaves that might be submerged in the vase (their rot and decay would cruddify the environment), then move the stem quickly from the cutting bowl to a pristine water-filled vase.
   
   
4. The Preservative: I balked for years, but finally conceded that adding a floral preservative to the water is the single most dramatic thing I can do to make my roses last. I know many people swear by various homemade concoctions, including aspirin, 7-Up, and Listerine mouthwash, but I've found the commercial preparations to be far superior. A good floral preservative serves three functions: it kills bacteria and fungi that can rot stem tissue and block water uptake; it acidifies the water, which accelerates uptake and also stabilizes color pigments; and it provides sugar as an emergency life-support nutrient. Ironically, the sugar can also feed the very bacteria the preservative is frantically trying to kill, so the water should be changed and new preservative added every 2 or 3 days. You can also fight bacteria by immediately removing any flowers that appear to have passed on to the blessed afterlife, lest their compadres, like lemmings, follow suit.
   
   
5. Hardening: Ok, now we're moving into advanced territory, using one of the fancy but easy tricks of competitive rose exhibitors. To harden your roses, place the freshly re-cut stems in a clean vase filled with 110 degree F. water (usually the hottest tap water available). The heat produces kinetic energy which forces the water molecules to move very rapidly up through the stems. Next, add your preservative to the water, and place the vase in a very cool location for several hours. Most roses don't mind being refrigerated, but keep them away from ripening fruits and vegetables that give off ethylene gas, an agent which promotes wilting and premature mortality. While the cool air temperature is retarding water loss from the flowers, the energized stems are furiously guzzling water at a phenomenal rate, thus "hardening" the roses for a long, happy vase life. I'm always amazed at how well this works.
   
   

6. Some antique roses have shorter stems.

   Location, Location, Location: In order to get the most mileage from your cut roses, keep them away from direct sunlight and hot spots like computers or television sets. Flowers have high rates of respiration anyway, and a rose at 85 degrees respires, or loses water, 45 times faster than a rose at 32 degrees. This inevitably leads to unsightly aging followed by unattractive death. Next time you visit a florist, notice they keep their roses in coolers set at 35 to 40 degrees F. Cut roses should also be kept away from drafts created by fans and air conditioners, since blowing air accelerates respiration, hastening that bitter end.

That's it! Whether you're creating sophisticated artsy arrangements or throwing together simple bouquets, these six easy steps are well worth the time and effort. Your beautiful cut garden roses will last a week or more, brightening every room of your house, filling your workspace with color and fragrance, gracing the homes of your friends and neighbors, and bringing great joy to the various objects of your affection. And according to the logic of Rose Economics 101, that's pretty darn close to being a millionaire.