Selection

• Choosing buds that are less than 1/3 open can regulate the rate at which the rose opens. You should always use sharp, clean shears. Dull shears will crush the stem and dirty shears can spread diseases. Roses should not be cut before 3 p.m., so the flowers can stock up on nutrients. Each stem requires at least three leaves to nurture the bloom.
  
  

Immediate Attention

• If the roses cannot be immediately placed in water, they can be put in the refrigerator, as a cool environment slows deterioration.
  
  

Preparation

• To remove any air that can move up the stem and lessen the life of the bloom, you should plunge the stems into water (containing floral preservative or 1 tbsp. of vinegar and 1/2 tsp. of sugar and bleach) as hot as your hands can tolerate. You must be sure that the blooms do not touch the water.
  
  Using a sharp knife, cut (either on a slant or straight across the stem) about an inch off the end of the stem while it is submerged in the water, remove any outer layer of petals that may be discolored, foliage below the water line as it will rot and any torn leaves, which will release moisture and create an opening for bacteria, Keep the rose stems in the the hot water until the water cools to room temperature. Then add the roses to a clean vase containing warm water, floral preservative and a drop of bleach.
  
  

Placement

• The roses should be placed in cool, dry places. At night, move the roses to the coolest place in the house. Put them in the refrigerator, if you leave the house for long periods of time.
  
  

Daily Care

• When the water becomes cloudy, take the roses out of the vase, dump out the old water and replace it with clean, hot water, adding two drops of bleach and then replace the flowers.
  
  To prevent bacteria buildup, remove wilted leaves or any leaves touching the water daily. Also, add preservative every other day.
  
  

Wilting

• When the blooms begin to wilt, re-cut 1/8 inch of the stem and put the stems in hot water for about an hour before returning them to the vase.
  
  

Warnings

• Do not store roses near fruit, as apples emit ethylene gas that causes flowers to wilt.
  
  You should also keep flowers away from heat sources (such as stoves, fireplaces, and radiators), drafts (such as air conditioners and air vents) and direct sunlight (that will make the buds open faster). Make sure that the ends of the stems do not sit on the bottom of the vase because this restricts water absorption.