There’s a reason Seal compared his lover to a kiss from a rose. When roses are in bloom, they light up the room, and we’re going to teach you how to keep your cut roses at their peak for longer. Learn how to preserve roses, keep them alive for longer, and most importantly, how to keep roses fresh.
How To Take Care of Cut Roses
- Unwrap the roses
First things first, get those roses unwrapped. Your bouquet of roses won’t be happy for long wrapped up in cellophane, so our number one recommendation is to let them breathe as soon as they’re delivered.
- Recut the stems
Once they’re out in the air, you should recut the stems at a 45-degree angle a few centimetres from the end or however tall your vase is. Additionally, ensure you remove any leaves from the lower part of the stem that would sit in the water.
- Place them in lukewarm water
Speaking of water, did you know that roses prefer lukewarm water? Just make sure it’s not too hot, and change it regularly to avoid a dirty vase.
- Pick the best spot
Next, pick a spot to display your roses. While flowers need sunlight to grow, you’ll want to avoid direct sunlight to avoid discolouration and prevent your roses from wilting early. If you’re receiving roses during the colder months of the year, make sure you keep them away from radiators or heaters. Flowers hate dry heat.
- Feed them flower food
Next on our rose caretaking list is flower food. Give your roses the nutrients they need to keep them looking their best for longer. Add some indoor plant food into your vase, and stir well before adding your roses.
The final step is preservation.
How to Preserve Roses & Flowers Forever
What if you want to keep your roses forever? Well, now we’re talking flower preservation. One of the oldest and most straightforward processes for preserving flowers is air drying. From rustic beauty to boho fashion, dried flowers are a fantastic way to enjoy the natural beauty of your floral arrangements for much longer than the usually expected lifespan of fresh flowers.
Air Drying Flowers Step-by-step
Step 1: Remove the leaves from your flowers to prepare them for drying. You should also cut the stem to your desired length.
Step 2: Bunch your flowers together and tie your string around the base of the stem. Alternatively, you can use a rubber band to bundle your flowers together. Make sure to leave enough to hang your flowers up for drying later.
Step 3: Tie the other end of the string to something sturdy that can hold your flowers for an extended time.
Step 4: Hang your flowers for at least three weeks in a dark environment with minimal light to prevent colours from fading.
Step 5: Adore your newly air-dried flowers!
Microwaving Flowers Step-by-step
Yes, you read that correctly. Your microwave is the ideal appliance for preserving your flowers. Much faster than air drying, the microwave method uses silica gel, a microwave-safe container and a cup of water to dry flowers.
Step 1: Similar to the air-drying process, remove the leaves from your flowers and cut the stem so that it fits into your chosen container.
Step 2: Fill the container with a thin layer of silica sand and place the flower on top.
Step 3: Cover the flower entirely with silica sand.
Step 4: Place the container inside the microwave oven beside a cup of water.
Step 5: Microwave in 30-second increments, checking on the flowers each time until dry. This process should take about two to three minutes, depending on the density of your flowers.
Step 6: Leave overnight to dry out completely.
Step 7: Enjoy your freshly microwaved dried flowers!
Flower Pressing Step-by-step
Another old-fashioned method for preserving flowers, using a heavy book and some absorbent paper, flower pressing, pushes all the moisture out using the weight of the book.
Step 1: Place the flower in the middle of some absorbent paper, and cover it with another piece of paper.
Step 2: Place in the middle of a heavy book and close the book to press the flower for two to four weeks.
Step 3: Remove the flower from the book and display it!
Dried Flower Bouquets from Flowers Across Melbourne
When you’re looking for a unique and more long-lasting gift, our Preserved Flowers are the perfect pick. These natural blooms undergo a unique process that captures their beauty and vitality like a snapshot in time. The result? Flowers that look and feel natural, yet they’ll last for up to a year without requiring any water or tending.
We offer a variety of preserved roses, including a Red Rose dipped in gold leaf and vibrant Rainbow Roses. So why not treat your special someone to the long-lasting gift of preserved roses.
Need a bouquet of fresh roses, stat? We offer same-day flower delivery to most Melbourne suburbs if your order is placed before 2 pm. Sent with efficiency from our location in Preston, each bouquet combines over 20 years of experience delivering the best flowers and floral arrangements to your loved ones. Get your roses delivered today with Flowers Across Melbourne!
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