Roses, as some of the most beautiful types of flowers in the world, are wonderful to look at and to have around. No matter how much you try on the care of cut roses, unfortunately, like a lot of flowers, they do not last all that long and sometimes it can seem as if you only begin to enjoy them and then you see the vase of wilting cut roses. Luckily, there are a number of methods available for preserving your roses for future enjoyment.
Number of Caveats In preserving roses, there are a number of caveats to remember prior to beginning the actual process. First, select which roses you want to preserve carefully. Insure that they are free of defects, blotches or insect damage. Remember too that the blossom, once preserved, will not retain the luster of a living flower. Dark blossoms will grow darker and lighter blossoms can become dingy looking, so it is wisest to pick a flower with a medium color-pink, red, orange, or yellow tones work best for this. Also check for any insect eggs or larvae. Occasionally, these creatures can survive the preservation process and it would be unfortunate to go to all the trouble of preserving your rose only to have it destroyed anyway.
Roses
Tips on Drying Roses Once you have checked everything over and made sure there are no problems, you are ready to preserve your roses! There are four main methods to rose preservation. The easiest is called air-drying. In air-drying, you bind your selected roses together at the stems with florists wire, after removing all the leaves. Make sure the blossoms are not touching each other, as otherwise you may get discolored or uneven spots. Via a paperclip or other form of improvised hook, hang the roses upside down from a coat hanger in your closet for around five to ten days and that is it. Your roses will dry out and often retain some of their fragrance in this process.
Moisture Transfer Another method of preservation is called moisture transfer. This technique involves the use of an absorbent which dries out the rose by sucking all of the liquid out of it. An absorbent can be any number of things, from silica to sand, cornmeal or borax. Simply place the chosen rose or roses in a container after pruning away most of the stem and sprinkle them with the absorbent chemical, carefully arranging your blossoms in the manner you want them to be preserved. Seal the container for three to five days and viola! Your roses are preserved.
Freeze Drying The third technique of rose preservation is called freeze drying. Freeze drying involves much the same idea as moisture transfer-essentially mummifying your rose. The process is slow, and it can prove expensive. You will not be able to do this yourself, so you will need to find a company that specializes in this method.
Coating Coating your roses is the fourth method of preservation. Coating involves dipping your roses in hot paraffin, which, unlike our other methods, does not dry the rose so much as encapsulate it. This method, unlike the other, will only preserve your roses for a short time, but it can be worth it if you are looking to preserve your roses for some special occasion or holiday event.
Tips on Preserving Roses
Bob Leland is a rose growing enthusiast. Visit About The Care of Roses for more expert advice on care of cut roses [http://www.aboutthecareofroses.com/CareCutRoses.xhtml], selecting that special rose, planting, landscaping, and other tips you can use right now to grow gorgeous roses.