Make Cut Roses Last Longer: 9 Easy Tips for More Rose Life

Cut roses look elegant, fresh cut roses in a vase bring a sense of grandeur and style to a room. And perhaps you want to know how to make cut roses last longer in the vase, or even from the moment you receive them.

Here’s a quick list of how to make cut roses last longer, then we’ll go into a few steps on each.

1. Start with a clean vase. Fill it with warm water and add the floral food packet that comes with your roses.
2. Cut 1-2 inches off the bottom of the stems at a 45-degree angle. This allows the rose to absorb more water and helps it last longer.
3. Remove any leaves that will fall below the water line in the vase. These leaves will rot and can contaminate the water, making them less effective at keeping your roses alive.
4. Avoid hot and cold temperature extremes when placing your roses.
5. Top up with more warm water to the vase as needed, and check the water level daily. top off as needed to keep the stems submerged.
6. When the water gets murky, empty the vase, rinse it out, and start again with clean water and fresh roses.
7. You can treat the roses to help them last even longer with sugar and lemon juice. You can also add bleach to help prevent bacteria growth in the vase.
8. Check the health of your roses daily,
9. Enjoy your roses! Try not to look at this process as being a chore. Instead, look to enjoy the presence of your roses while caring for something of natural beauty.

If you follow these simple steps, you should be able to enjoy your beautiful roses for a good week or more. Want more great tips? Read on…

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How to make cut roses last longer

With the list in place, let’s now look at these in a little more detail. Here are the detailed steps on how to make cut roses last longer, with some helpful tips I’ve added for you too.

And here are more tips on how to make your mini rose plant bloom longer too.

1. Start with a clean vase

A vase that isn’t clean can shorten the lifespan of your roses. Make sure to clean your vase with soap and water, and rinse thoroughly before adding your roses. This is because bacteria can build up in a dirty vase and cause the roses to far wilt more quickly.

Fill the vase with warm as adding warm water to the vase will also help the roses last longer. Cold water can shock the roses too much.

Unless you grew the roses yourself, you likely received a floral food pack with your cut roses. If you don’t then you can buy a pack of flower food sachets here.

This pack contains nutrients and chemicals that will help your roses last longer. Add the contents of the pack to the water in the vase according to the instructions on the pack.

TIP: To make your own floral food pack, just mix one teaspoon of sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of bleach, and two teaspoons of lemon juice into a quart of water. Or you can adopt some of the steps below to do this manually.

2. Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle

We then cut the stem at a 45-degree angle because it provides a larger surface area for the rose to drink from. You should ideally use a sharp knife or pruning shears and aim to make a clean cut.

If you cut the stem flat, the rose will have a smaller surface area to drink from and will dehydrate faster.

TIP: Avoid using tools that are dirty as this will transfer any dirt and potential bacteria to the water. And on that point, it’s best to wash your hands before starting the task

3. Remove any leaves that will be below the waterline

One tip to make cut roses last longer is not to leave anything in the vase that might contaminate the clean water.

Leaves that are below the waterline, not only look a little messy, but they will also rot in the water and contaminate it. The bacteria from the rotting leaves can then spread to the rose and shorten its lifespan.

So, before you put your roses in the vase, remove any leaves that will be below the waterline.

Besides, browning and rotting leaves in a vase are not a pretty sight. So it’s worth checking this step.

TIP: If you use a vase that is too large for the number of roses you have, the stems are more likely to struggle to support the flowers. This can cause them to wilt faster. Choosing a vase that is just big enough for the stems is ideal, so they can stand upright easily.

4. Avoid temperature extremes

Once your roses are in the vase, place them away from drafts, heat sources, and direct sunlight. All of these can cause the flowers to wilt and fade faster. This includes conservatories and near radiators, fans, or air conditioning outlets.

TIP: Most cut flowers do best in a cool room (between 16-18°C or 60-65°F). So if you can, keep them away from hot spots like windowsills or televisions.

5. Top up warm water as needed

The roses will continue to drink the water for a few days after you put them in the vase. So, make sure to top up the water level as needed. A cursory daily check is usually enough.

TIP: Some people swear by adding a penny to the vase water as well. The idea is that the copper will act as a fungicide and keep the water clean. I have a slightly better alternative to this…

If you want to add copper to the vase to keep the water clean, then I’d recommend having a couple of these charms in your drawer ready to use for your flower vases. They look so so much better than a copper penny!

Here’s the link to get one on amazon.

6. When the water gets murky, empty the vase

You’ve done most of the steps to make cut roses last longer, but you still need to monitor them a little.

If you notice the water getting cloudy, empty the vase and start again with fresh, clean water. It should remain virtually clear at all times.

TIP: Avoid leaving your roses out of the water too long while doing this, and try to keep the replacement water temperature about the same as before.

7. Adding more water-cleansing solutions

To keep your roses as fresh as possible, you can add a few drops of bleach, or vinegar to the vase water which is less harsh.

You could also add a quarter spoon of sugar which will help the roses absorb water and last longer.

Adding lemon juice is also effective in helping roses to last longer. Simply add a few lemon drops, that’s all you need.

TIP: Only use these solutions if absolutely necessary, as they can be harsh on the roses. Test them in just a small amount first to see how your roses react.

If you’re the type of person to frequently have cut roses or floral vases around the home, then the packet that usually comes with them is okay, but it helps to have your own selection. So if you’re not making your own solution then keep a pack of flower food sachets handy.

8. Inspect your roses daily

Part of making sure your roses last as long as possible is to inspect them every day. Check for any leaves that have turned yellow and fallen off, and remove them from the vase.

Also, check for any wilted or drooping petals, these should also be removed as they can contaminate the water and shorten the lifespan of your other roses.

TIP: Save some of the floral food pack contents so you can apply a second dose, or make some more of your own as I’ve outlined above.

9. Enjoy your beautiful roses!

It doesn’t take too much effort to make cut roses last longer.

The mindset to adopt here is to enjoy caring for your roses almost as much as having them on show in your home. Try bringing out your happy smile demeanor while you’re caring for them, and you will feel even more delighted by their presence.

Either way, however long your roses last, taking a few steps will mean you can enjoy them that little bit longer.

But how long is that likely to be? …

How long do cut roses last?

Cut roses should last one week from the time they are cut to the time when they start wilting and browning. For the first few days, they will still absorb water.

Floral food, plus refreshing the water every 2-3 days will help sustain them longer, increasing their lifespan to 10 to 12 days or more.

The more care you can give to your cut roses, the longer they will last. But however much career you provide, I wouldn’t expect them to last beyond 14 days. If they do, then you’ve done a magnificent job!

Make cut roses last longer ~ More roses help 🌹

I hope this has helped you to prolong the life of your cut roses and how to make cut roses last longer in a vase.

Whether you’ve worked hard on those hybrid teas from your own garden, or whether you’ve received a bunch of roses with a meaning behind them. They will surely bring you much joy to look at.