How to Make Roses Last Longer After Cutting

Roses just waiting to be cut

Sometimes it seems that roses don't last long, even though you've immediately put them in a vase with water. Learn how to make the georgeous blooms of roses last longer in water with just a few simple tips.

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups room temperature water
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice (real lemon is fine)
• 1/4 tsp. bleach
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board

Instructions

1. Prepare a floral preservative of water, lemon juice, sugar and bleach. Add 2 tsp. of it to the vase you wish to use and fill the vase with lukewarm water. You may keep the remainder of the preservative for future use. Wipe the knife with a small amount of the preservative, as the clorox disinfects the blade.

2. Remove the lower leaves from the stem of the rose to prevent mildew from forming in the water. Use the sharp knife to do this.

3. Lay the rose on the cutting board and cut the bottom inch off the stem at a 45-degree angle. This allows more surface of the stem to absorb water. Immediately place the rose in the prepared vase. Cut each rose in this manner, making sure that the exposure to air is as short as possible.

4. 

   Cut ferns and baby's breath in the same manner, even though they tend to last longer than roses. Doing this prevents mildew or bacteria from forming.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're cutting roses from a flower bed, as opposed to receiving them from the florist, use only the sharpest knife that you have wiped with alcohol to cut them. Using a dull, dirty knife might infect the rosebush with bacteria, which could kill it.

• Cut roses that aren't immediately submerged in water upon cutting have very little chance of lasting more than a day or so. Keep air exposure to a minimum at all times.