To get the most life out of your roses, follow these important steps.  

1- The roses are packed very tightly together, so be careful when you unpack them and watch out for those thorns! There are 25 long stems per bunch.

2- Make sure you have a clean vase and fill it 1/2 – 3/4 the way up with luke warm distilled water along with the plant food / preservative that  came  in the box. The warm water helps tell the roses to wake up and open up.

3- Carefully remove any leaves from the rose that could touch the water, the leaves are the dirtiest part and could cause bacteria to grow and speed up the decaying of your rose.  Leave the thorns on the stem. However, if you do want to remove the thorns,  use a tool called a thorn stripper which is available at garden centers. If you cut the thorn improperly, it may cause damage to the stem and prevent the proper flow of water to the head of the rose.

4- Next, remove the outer rose pedals called guards, they help with the protection  of the rose during transport and by removing them will help the rose look more pleasing to the eye when they have fully opened.

5- Now, take each rose stem and place the stem part in a tub of lukewarm water and make a clean diagonal cut with a sharp knife or scissors. After the cut is made you have up to 30 seconds to place the stem into your vase. If you do not do this, the stem may get an air bubble trapped inside which will prevent the water flowing up to the head of the rose and cause premature dying.    

6- After you have properly cut all the stems and placed them into the vase, keep them in a cool dark area for a few hours before you arrange them. This helps them adjust to the shock they just received from there long journey from Ecuador.

7- Now that you have arranged them, follow these ABC tips to prolong the life of your roses.

    A- Keep the roses in cool area of the house and away from direct sunlight! and please keep the roses from electrical  equipment such as televisions, they give off heat and your roses are not big fans of this or extreme cold and drafts.  

    B- Keep an eye on the water level. Your roses are thirsty little devils!

    C-Change the water every 2-3 days, especially if the water begins to get cloudy. Each time you remove the roses from the water, you must make a new clean cut about 1″ from the bottom of the stem and remember the  30 second rule. If you can, go get more rose food / preservative and put it in the water. Another method you can use would be 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of house hold bleach to 1 quart of water.  If a rose(s) prematurely begins to drupe, it may have an air bubble blockage in the stem. Re-cut the stem (1″) and submerge the entire rose into a tub of lukewarm water for about 1 – 2 hours, this should revive the rose and put it back into the vase .

ENJOY YOUR ROSES!