Drooping Roses!

[Denise_uk]

My husband buys me cut roses occasionally and I can never keep them alive! I follow the instructions to the letter, cutting the stems at an angle etc, but within 24 hours most if not all of them have invariably drooped their heads. Other flowers and bouquets live for well over a week, but roses never do. Even the roses within a mixed bouquet droop in the same vase as other flowers! What am I doing wrong??? Over the years I've tried a lot of the little tips you hear - putting a bronze coin in the water, immersing the cut stems in boiling water for a few seconds, pushing a pin through the stem just under the bud to remove any airlock...basically anything I've heard of I've tried but it makes no difference and they always droop, with or without the 'alternative' remedies! Maybe roses just don't like me??? Help!!!

[hogmother]

I thought the tip with a pin was for tulips mainly. I always put a teaspoon of sugar and half a dispersable aspirin in the water which helps with all my flowers, this works well whatever the type of flower, my flowers always last over 10 days

[slipnot]

I know it sounds obvious but are they (1) in sunlight (2) near heat/radiator etc?

[Denise_uk]

Thanks for your suggestions. I've tried the soluble asprin, sugar and lemonade as well. I've also tried putting them in various different places around the lounge. They aren't in direct sunlight just normal daylight and they're not close to any radiators so they just get the normal temperature of the room. It's so frustrating because I love roses and all other flowers seem to do so well just bunged in a vase of cold water and left to fend for themselves!!! I must bring out the tempremental side of roses! lol.

[slipnot]

Maybe best to stick to carnations! Good luck Denise.

[Denise_uk]

Hahaha. Thanks for that slipnot - you made me smile :o)

[Clanad]

After receiving the roses, cut about 1 inch off each stem while holding the stem under water... immediately place in vase filled with a mixture of 1 quart warm (110F) distilled water, into which has been added 1 Vitamin C tablet (200 mg size) 1 tabelspoon Karo or other table high fructose syrup (not Maple) and 1 teaspoon (about 1/2 oz.) common bleach. Trim stems after about 2 or 3 days by at least 1/2 inch and change the water at least every other day if not every day. It's best to use a sharp knife rather than scissors to cut the stems (avoids crushing) and always cut them on a bias rather than straight acorss...

[Diane1954]

I always tell my customers to cut a little bit off the bottom of the stem,stand the flowers[stems] in 2 inches of boiling water for 30 seconds then put into clean cold water. It works for me.
[I did have one lady put the heads in boiling water,apparently they turned black and fell off.What a surprise!!!!]