There’s nothing better than a vase full of fresh cut roses! Something so simple can liven a whole room with its beauty and aroma.
The only thing better is a vase of roses that you proudly cultivated yourself.
Read on for this in-depth care guide on how to successfully cut your roses for a vase arrangement, as well as 8 great varieties you should grow for cut flowers.
Tips For Cutting Roses And Keeping Them Fresh In The Vase
Cutting your roses is not as simple as snipping them off with a pair of scissors and putting them in a vase. Follow these straightforward tips to best preserve your freshly cut roses.
Harvesting Roses
The first thing to keep in mind when harvesting roses is the timing of your harvest. You simply cannot walk outside and harvest roses whenever.
The ideal time to harvest roses is in the morning or late afternoon. During this time, the roses are plump with hydration and look their best.
When roses are cut dry, air pockets form in the stems. These air pockets can travel through the stem and cause premature wilting in your roses.
Instead, it is recommended to recut your roses underwater to seal those air bubbles and condition your roses to last.
Conditioning Cut Roses
Bring your roses back into the home and fill a bowl with water.
The water should be hot and treated with a diluted bleach solution; 2 to 3 drops of bleach per 1 liter of water will do the trick.
The reasoning behind bleach is that roses can develop bacteria on their stems as they mature, which inhibits the roses’ ability to absorb water.
Dip each rose stem individually and cut off an extra 1/4 of an inch from the stems.
This will seal the air pockets and double the longevity of your cut roses.
Leave the roses to sit in the water until it cools to room temperature
After the water has cooled, remove the roses from the bleach solution and re-cut the stems again before transferring them into a vase with floral preservative.
To ensure no residual bacteria can clog the stems, add a couple of drops of bleach to the vase water.
8 Great Varieties You Can Grow For Cutting
1. America Rose
America rose was bred by William A. Warriner in the United States, before 1975.
| COLOR: Salmon-Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Medium To Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 6ft – 12ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
When the America rose isn’t being used for a floral arrangement, they also make excellent climbing roses.
America roses are natural climbers, though they may require some assistance from you to latch onto a climbing structure.
Fasten the canes of your America shrub to a climbing structure (wall, fence, trellis, or archway).
The America rose shrub is a vigorous climber, so your plant will be scaling that trellis in no time at all.
The America rose is a prestigious variety, having won the 1976 All-America Rose Selection award.
2. Chicago Peace Rose
The Chicago Peace rose was bred by Stanley C. Johnston in the United States, before 1960.
| COLOR: Pink Blend | BLOOM SIZE: Very Large | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft – 5ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Chicago Peace is considered to be a relatively small shrub, only growing to about 3 to 5 feet at full maturity.
This small size makes it ideal for container gardening.
Container gardens are a great choice for those who wish to raise roses but do not have a garden to plant in-ground roses.
Related Post: 8 Shrub Roses That Will Grow Well In Pots
People living in apartments will rejoice at the chance to grow this gorgeous rose on their apartment balcony with no hassle.
3. Evening Star Rose
Evening Star rose was developed by William Warriner in 1974, and introduced into the United States by Jackson & Perkins.
| COLOR: Creamy White | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 2ft – 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
While technically the Evening Star is a hybrid rose, it is normally classified as a floribunda, meaning that it can produce massive yields of flowers in one growing season.
To make the most out of this harvest and get as many flowers as possible, it is important to continually harvest your roses as they are ready to be picked.
The removal of roses is beneficial to the shrub as it promotes the production of new flower buds.
4. Gruss An Aachen Rose
Gruss an Aachen rose was bred by L. Wilhelm Hinner in Germany, before 1909.
| COLOR: Light Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Medium To Large | FRAGRANCE: Mild, Sweet Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
If you want to multiply your Gruss an Aachen roses without buying a new rose bush, you can try propagating your semi-ripe cuttings in the late summer.
Use hormone rooting powder to help increase the rate of propagation and place the cuttings in a jar of water.
Replace the water once a week until you start to notice roots forming from the stem cutting.
Transplant the cutting into a pot of soil and continue to care for it normally. New rose bushes can be used as gifts for loved ones!
5. Ingrid Bergman Rose
The Ingrid Bergman rose was bred by L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens Nyegaard Olesen in Denmark, before 1981.
| COLOR: Dark Red | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 2ft – 3ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
Ingrid Bergman is a hybrid tea rose, very tolerant of heat and rainy weather.
This is a perfect choice for gardeners who live in temperamental climates, such as the southeastern United States, for example.
Not to mention that the Indigo Bergman is also disease resistant.
Don’t let your climate deter you from owning beautiful roses, there is truly a variety for everyone!
6. Minnie Pearl Rose
Minnie Pearl rose was bred by F. Harmon Saville in the United States, before 1982.
| COLOR: Pink Blend | BLOOM SIZE: Small | FRAGRANCE: Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 2ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Minnie Pearl rose is a hardy miniature rose that is capable of withstanding climates ranging from zones 4 to 11.
However, it is important to note that these roses will need spring freeze protection in colder climates.
You can prevent your plant from sustaining frost damage by waiting until all threats of frost have passed before pruning your plant.
7. Sunset Celebration Rose
Sunset Celebration rose was bred by Gareth Fryer in United Kingdom, before 1991.
| COLOR: Coral, Peach Shading | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong, Fruity, Opinions Vary Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft – 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Sunset Celebration rose is one of the very fragrant hybrid tea roses.
It is known to be extremely disease resistant.
We like to recommend disease-resistant varieties to gardeners who are newcomers to growing roses.
Learning how to care for any new plant is an undertaking in itself, and not having to worry about disease makes the learning process so much easier!
8. Variegata Di Bologna Rose
Variegata di Bologna rose was bred by Massimiliano Lodi in Italy, before 1909.
| COLOR: White, Cherry-Red Stripes | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 6ft – 10ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Variegata di Bologna rose has a slight susceptibility to blackspot, which is a type of bacterial disease brought upon by excessive moisture.
Blackspot is easily preventable, however with a few simple steps.
One, it is important to water as close to the base as possible to avoid wet foliage.
Secondly, maximize airflow by spacing your plants 3 to 4 feet apart from one another when you first transplant your juvenile plants.
Conclusion
A vase of roses is a classic gift that is always well-received.
However, floral arrangements can cost hundreds of dollars, and oftentimes, the roses do not last long before they start to wilt.
With some simple tips and tricks, you can grow your own roses to put in a vase.
And the best part is? They’ll last double or triple than store-bought roses.
