Overview:
When you receive a gift of roses, you will likely be eager to keep this present fresh for as long as you possibly can. While nothing can make your cut roses live eternally, there are things you can do to prolong their life and increase the length of time that you have to enjoy them. By trying out these simple things, you can give yourself more time to bask in the glory of your gift and reflect upon the kindness of the individual who so graciously sent the beautiful blooms.

Step 1
Clean your vase. If this isn’t the first time you’ve used the vase, make sure it is free of the dirt that may come from prior use. If flower debris remains in the vase, it could contaminate your water and shorten the life of your flowers. Visually inspect the vase, and wash it in warm soapy water, rinsing it well before use.

Step 2
Fill the vase with lukewarm water. Temperature matters when dunking your floral stems. Prepare a lukewarm bath for your fresh-cut roses as opposed to a hot or cold one, since this water temperature ensures that you don’t shock the delicate blooms.

Step 3
Dissolve flower food to your roses into the water, flower food intended for use with cut flowers in general or cut roses in particular.

Step 4
Cut the stems. Using a sharp knife or shears, cut the stems at a 45-degree angle. If you use dull cutting implements, you risk crushing the delicate stems and making it harder for the flowers to drink up the water they require for survival.

Step 5
Refrigerate the flowers when away. Just as florists put flowers in a refrigerated space before selling them, you can store your roses in a chilled location — your fridge — to extend their life. While you likely don’t want to constantly be putting these flower into, and taking them out of, the fridge, if you plan to be away for longer than a day or so, place them in the fridge before leaving.

Step 6
Change out the water regularly. Roses resting in stale water will wilt rapidly. To ensure that your water remains conducive to promoting rose longevity, swap it out every day or so, replacing it with fresh water.

Step 7
Remove wilting buds or leaves. Instead of allowing a few wilted flower parts to mar an otherwise beautiful bouquet, pull them off. By doing so, you prevent them from dropping into the water and starting to rot, which could reduce your bouquet life.