Rescuing Roses That Have Drooped

A rose carries a heavy head on a fairly thin, woody stem. To hold it up, the stem needs a steady supply of water drawn up through narrow channels. If that supply is blocked or too slow, the stem just below the flower goes limp and the bloom tips over. It usually shows up within the first day or two.

Australian homes make this more likely than you might expect. A heatwave, a sunny north-facing window, ducted air conditioning and a long delivery trip can all dry out flowers or knock a bunch off course. Add the fact that many stems are cut days before you buy them, and a blockage may already be forming when the bunch comes through your door.

Below is what usually causes it, how to fix it and how to get more days out of your next bunch.

What Makes Roses Bend at the Neck?

Dehydration is nearly always the culprit. Here are the five most likely reasons.

1. An Air Block in the Stem

When a stem is cut and left in the open, a tiny pocket of air can be pulled into the water channels. It acts like a cork. Water cannot get past it, so the head runs dry even though the vase is full. It is the most common cause by far.

2. Stems That Have Dried at the Cut

Soon after cutting, the end of a rose stem starts to seal over. If a bunch has sat in a box or bucket for a while, or if you only snipped it with blunt scissors that crushed the fibres, the stem cannot take up water properly. A clean fresh cut with a sharp knife fixes this.

3. Heat

Warm rooms, afternoon sun and a stuffy car boot all make roses lose water through their petals faster than the stem can replace it. Heat also helps bacteria multiply in the vase. In summer, a cool spot makes a noticeable difference.

4. Dirty Water and a Dirty Vase

Bacteria grow quickly in warm water and can plug the stem ends with slime. A vase that was not washed since the last bunch, or leaves left sitting below the waterline, will speed this up.

5. Missing Flower Food

The little sachet that comes with a bunch is not a gimmick. It supplies sugar for the flower and something to keep bacteria down. Without it, the water goes cloudy sooner and the blooms tire earlier.

Reviving Roses That Have Already Flopped

Do not bin them yet. If the drooping is recent, this routine often works. You will need a sharp knife or secateurs, a clean sink or large bowl, a clean vase and, ideally, flower food.

1. Recut the stems under water. Fill a bowl with comfortably warm water. Hold each stem under the surface and cut about 2 to 3 cm off the base on a slant. Cutting under water keeps new air from creeping in.
2. Give the whole stem a long drink. Lay the roses in a sink or bath of cool water so the stems, leaves and heads are mostly submerged, and leave them for around half an hour. Roses can take in some water through their petals and leaves, which helps a drooping neck recover.
3. Put them in a spotless vase. While they soak, scrub the vase with hot water and detergent. Refill with fresh, cool water and flower food, then pop the roses back in. Keep them somewhere cool and shaded and check again after a couple of hours.

This works best on roses that have only just flopped. If the neck has been bent for more than a day or the petal edges are turning brown, it may be too late, but it is always worth a try.

Keeping Roses Upright Next Time

A few small habits, started the day the bunch arrives, will make a real difference.

• Recut straight away. Trim 2 to 3 cm from each stem on a slant with a sharp knife, ideally under water.
• Use the flower food. Stir it into the water before the stems go in.
• Keep the vase cool. Avoid sunny sills, the top of the fridge, heaters, air conditioning vents and the fruit bowl, because ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas that ages flowers.
• Refresh the water every couple of days. Rinse the vase, refill with cool water and recut the stems a little each time.
• Strip lower leaves. Anything sitting below the waterline will rot and cloud the water.

With these steps, a decent bunch of roses should keep its head up for a week or more, though hot weather can shorten that.

Hot Weather Tactics

From December to February, many Australian homes sit well above comfortable room temperature for part of the day. A few extra steps help roses cope. Move the vase to the coolest room at the hottest time of day, or even into a cool hallway. If a bunch has to travel, keep it out of a parked car and wrap the stem ends in damp paper towel. Overnight, some people stand the vase in a cool spot such as a laundry or a shaded verandah, as long as there is no frost risk. Check the water level in the morning and evening, because a rose in a heatwave can drink a surprising amount. And if the bunch looks tired on a scorching afternoon, do the soak before the heads drop too far, rather than after.

FAQ