How to care for roses: keep them beautiful for longer

You've received a beautiful bouquet or put one together yourself — now you want to enjoy it for as long as possible. The good news: roses aren't difficult to care for, as long as you follow a few basic rules. This guide tells you exactly what you need, how to go about it and which mistakes are best avoided.

Why care matters so much

Roses are cut flowers that still need water and nutrients after they've been cut. Without the right care, the stems become blocked, the petals dry out and bacteria multiply in the water. The result: a bouquet that's already drooping after two days. With the right approach, you can easily get ten to fourteen days out of them.

The number of roses in a vase also plays a role. A single rose has relatively more space and water per stem, while a large bouquet of twenty-five roses means more competition for nutrients. That sometimes calls for a larger vase or more frequent water changes. If you'd like to know more about the number of roses and what they mean — from one rose as a personal gesture to twelve as a classic gift — you can find that on the hub page.

What you need

No special equipment is required. These are the basic essentials:

• A clean vase — bacteria in a dirty vase are the quickest way to kill roses
• A sharp knife or flower scissors — not kitchen scissors, as they crush the stem
• Lukewarm water — cold tap water works fine, but lukewarm water is absorbed more quickly
• Cut-flower food — the sachets included with a bouquet aren't a gimmick; they inhibit bacterial growth and provide sugars
• A cool spot — away from direct sunlight, radiators and ripening fruit

Step by step: caring for roses

1. Remove the packaging straight away — foil or paper traps moisture and encourages mould. Also remove any leaves that will sit below the waterline, as these rot quickly.
2. Cut the stems at an angle — trim at least 2 to 3 centimetres from the stem, at a 45-degree angle, so the surface area is larger and the rose can absorb water more easily. Do this under running water or directly above the vase to prevent air from entering the stem.
3. Fill the vase with lukewarm water and flower food — use the cut-flower food provided, or a few drops of bleach as an alternative. Fill the vase two-thirds full; more is not better.
4. Change the water every two days — rinse the vase as well. Each time you change the water, trim a small piece from the stems to keep absorption at its best.
5. Place the roses in the right spot — cool, out of draughts and away from a fruit bowl. Apples and bananas release ethylene gas, which causes roses to wilt more quickly.

Common mistakes when caring for roses

Even people who have been buying roses for years sometimes make the same mistakes. These are the three most common pitfalls:

1. Not re-cutting the stems

Many people trim the stems once when they get home and leave it at that. But every time you change the water, the ends of the stems have already become slightly blocked. A quick trim — even just half a centimetre — keeps the rose drinking properly.

2. Placing roses in full sun or next to a radiator

Heat speeds up blooming, but also wilting. A warm windowsill may look appealing, but it significantly shortens the vase life. Choose a bright spot without direct sun, at room temperature or cooler.

3. Leaving leaves in the water

Leaves that sit below the waterline rot quickly and cause bacterial growth. Remove all leaves to at least 5 centimetres above the waterline. This applies to red roses and mixed roses in a larger bouquet too — the more stems, the more attention this detail deserves.

Tips for the best results

Florists and the Regiobloemist bindery work with conditioned water and climate-controlled spaces, so the flowers are in top condition when your roses are delivered. You can't fully replicate that at home, but these tips will take you a long way:

• Let a new bouquet stand in a bucket of lukewarm water for an hour before putting it in a vase — this is called conditioning and gives the stems a chance to drink properly
• Put roses in a cool spot overnight, such as a utility room or hallway — the lower temperature noticeably extends their vase life
• Peonies and roses go well together in a vase, but bear in mind that peonies need slightly more water and open up more quickly — if you'd like to order peonies alongside your roses, you can do so easily online
• Yellow roses and orange roses often have slightly more delicate petals than red varieties — keep them especially well away from draughts
• Use a vase that is wide enough for the number of stems — roses packed in too tightly will crush each other's stems

Seasonal considerations

The season directly affects how long roses last. In summer, when temperatures rise above 22°C, roses wilt more quickly. Change the water daily rather than every two days, and place the vase in the coolest spot in the house.

In winter, central heating is the biggest enemy. The air indoors is drier, and roses near a radiator will droop quickly. Move them to a cooler room or gently mist the petals with a plant spray.

Spring and autumn offer the most ideal conditions. Indoor temperatures are more moderate, and the roses delivered in these seasons — such as spring roses combined with yellow roses — are often in excellent condition straight from the grower.

Frequently asked questions

How long do roses last with proper care?

With good care, cut roses last an average of ten to fourteen days. Some robust varieties, such as large-flowered hybrid tea roses, can last even longer. Roses that have spent a day or two in transit before reaching you will have a little less time — but conditioning them in a bucket of water on arrival gives them a good start.

Should I use cut-flower food, or does sugar work too?

Cut-flower food is more effective than plain sugar, because it also contains a bacterial inhibitor. Sugar alone feeds the rose but also encourages bacterial growth in the water. If you don't have flower food to hand, you can add a few drops of bleach as a temporary alternative. A sachet of flower food per vase remains the best choice.

Can I combine roses with other flowers in one vase?

Yes, absolutely. Mixed roses are regularly combined with filler flowers such as gypsophila or lisianthus. Do be aware that some flowers, such as daffodils, release a substance that causes roses to wilt more quickly. It's better to keep daffodils separate, or condition them overnight in a separate vase before mixing them in.