Caring for mixed roses: how to keep them beautiful for longer

Mixed roses are a feast for the eyes: several colours, and sometimes different varieties, all together in one bouquet. But that very mix calls for a little extra attention. Each colour and variety has its own pace, and when you take that into account you can enjoy them for considerably longer. This guide tells you exactly what you need, how to go about it and which mistakes are best avoided.

Why good care makes all the difference

Roses are more delicate than many people realise. Without the right care they can wilt in as little as three to four days. With the right approach you can easily double that to seven to ten days — sometimes even longer. That is not an exaggeration; it is simply a matter of a few straightforward actions at the right moment.

With mixed roses there is an extra factor at play: not all roses open at the same speed. Deep red roses often stay closed longer than light pink or yellow ones. Knowing this lets you position and care for the bouquet so that every flower opens at its own pace — which also means you enjoy a full, beautiful bouquet for longer.

What you need before you start

You do not need much, but having the right things to hand saves a lot of hassle. Make sure the following are ready before you put the bouquet in the vase:

• A clean vase — bacteria in a dirty vase are the fastest way to make roses wilt.
• A sharp knife or flower scissors — a blunt knife crushes the stem instead of cutting it cleanly.
• Cut-flower food — the sachets often included with the bouquet contain sugar for energy and an antibacterial agent.
• Lukewarm water — not cold, not warm. Lukewarm water is absorbed by the stems more quickly.
• A good spot — away from direct sunlight, radiators and ripe fruit.

Step by step: caring for mixed roses

Follow these steps as soon as the bouquet arrives at home, or when you bring it home yourself:

1. Unwrap the bouquet and remove all packaging. Do not leave the roses in cellophane or paper any longer than necessary — they need air.
2. Cut the stems at an angle, about two to three centimetres from the end. A diagonal cut increases the surface area through which water is absorbed. Ideally do this under running water or directly over the filled vase, so that no air enters the stem.
3. Remove all leaves that would end up below the waterline. Leaves in the water rot quickly and contaminate the water, which shortens the life of the roses.
4. Fill the vase with lukewarm water and add the cut-flower food. Use the correct amount — too much is just as harmful as too little.
5. Change the water every two to three days. Trim a small piece off the stems at the same time. This keeps bacteria at bay and ensures the stems continue to absorb water properly.

Common mistakes when caring for mixed roses

Even people who have had flowers in the house for years sometimes make the same mistakes. These are the three most common pitfalls:

Placing roses next to the fruit bowl

Ripe fruit — apples and bananas in particular — gives off ethylene gas. This gas speeds up the ripening process in flowers and causes roses to wilt more quickly. Always place your vase well away from the fruit bowl.

Not changing the water

Many people top up the vase as the water level drops, but never actually change it. Old water is full of bacteria that block the stems. Every two to three days, empty the vase completely, rinse it out and start fresh with clean water and a new sachet of flower food.

Not re-cutting the stems

Stems develop a layer at the cut end that blocks water uptake. By trimming a few millimetres off the stems each time you change the water, you ensure the roses keep absorbing water properly. It takes very little effort and has a significant effect on how long the flowers last.

Tips for the best results

A few extra tips that florists and our own studio pass on to everyone who takes home a bouquet of mixed roses:

• Let closed buds open gradually at room temperature. Do not put them somewhere warm to speed things up — that actually shortens the time they are in bloom.
• Remove roses that have finished blooming. This keeps the rest of the bouquet looking fresher and means the other flowers face less competition.
• Do you have yellow roses or orange roses in your mixed bouquet? These tend to be a little more sensitive to heat. Move the bouquet to a cooler spot at night — the hallway or kitchen, for example.
• Peonies are sometimes added to a mixed bouquet for extra volume. They open more slowly than roses and need slightly more water. Check that their stems are properly submerged.
• Not using cut-flower food? You can use a teaspoon of sugar and a few drops of bleach per litre as an emergency substitute. But cut-flower food works better.

If you regularly enjoy a colourful bouquet and want to order mixed roses, Regiobloemist offers a wide range of fresh bouquets put together by local florists or our own studio.

Seasonal considerations: when are mixed roses extra sensitive?

The time of year has more influence on how long roses last than many people realise. In summer, when temperatures exceed 25 degrees, roses deteriorate noticeably faster. Place the vase in the coolest spot in the house and avoid direct sunlight. Change the water more often — every day or every other day.

In winter, central heating is the biggest enemy. Dry, warm air draws moisture out of the petals. Keep the vase away from radiators and consider moving the roses to a cooler spot overnight. This can extend their life by two to three days.

In spring and autumn, with temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees, conditions are most favourable. A well-cared-for bouquet will easily last seven to ten days. Buying roses in these seasons therefore gives you the most value for your money.

Frequently asked questions about caring for mixed roses

How long do mixed roses last with proper care?

Well-cared-for roses last an average of seven to ten days. If you change the water regularly, trim the stems and keep the bouquet in a cool spot, you can sometimes enjoy them for up to two weeks. Roses that are already partly open when they arrive will not last as long as closed buds.

Do I need to treat each rose separately in a mixed bouquet?

That is not necessary. You treat the bouquet as a whole: trim the stems, remove leaves below the waterline and use clean water with flower food. You can, however, remove individual roses that fade more quickly, so the rest of the bouquet continues to look its best.

What should I do if a rose droops its head?

A drooping head is almost always a sign of air in the stem or a blocked stem end. Trim the stem by a few centimetres under water and stand the rose upright in a narrow glass of lukewarm water. Leave it for an hour — in most cases it will straighten up on its own.