ABOUT OUR FRESH CUT GARDEN ROSES
Garden roses are capricious and tend to vary in color. Even roses cut from the same bush on the same day have been known to have different shades and tones. Do not expect them all to be exactly the same. This is their character and part of what makes them special.
CARE & HANDLING
Garden roses must be harvested at a certain point of cut to minimize damage during shipping. Given the proper water, food and care, our garden roses will bloom and perform incredibly, growing four or five times their original size!
Always follow the care and handling instructions on this page or on the card that is included in each box sent from our farm (also seen below) to ensure you get the most from your garden roses.
QUICK TIPS
Giving the flowers time to open before using them has a tremendous impact! Most of our garden roses are at their best 4-5 days after being placed in water. To accelerate their development, place them in warmer temperatures. To slow the development down, place them in cooler temperatures.
Why is it important to remove the cardboard sleeve when you put your garden roses in water? Your garden roses should arrive well-hydrated, and the cardboard should be removed after cutting the stems. As garden roses hydrate, the bloom head gets larger. Leaving them confined within the cardboard sleeve can damage the petals as the bloom head hydrates and grows. NOTE: If the roses arrive dehydrated due to travel, the stem necks can be weak. In this case, keep the cardboard on for a few hours or even overnight while hydrating. This ensures that the necks do not harden into a bent shape.
MORE INFORMATION
Read our blog post, "Processing Garden Roses: Sometimes Less Is More," for more thorough instructions.
for Designers / Retailers
IMPORTANT
Normally, your garden roses will arrive well-hydrated, and the cardboard should be removed after cutting the stems. However, if the roses arrive dehydrated due to travel, the stem necks can be weak. In this case, keep the cardboard on for a few hours or even overnight while hydrating. This ensures that the necks do not harden into a bent shape.
STEP 2
Immediately after the stems are cut, remove the cardboard and leave the plastic sleeve on to avoid damaging the petals as the bloom head opens. Place stems in water with flower food to hydrate in a cooler or cold area overnight. The temperature should be as close to 32°F/0°C as possible; use ice if necessary.
STEP 1
Process the garden roses as soon as they arrive by cutting the stems 1” and removing any foliage that may remain below the water line.
STEP 3
The next day, set the garden roses at room temperature until they reach the desired openness. This typically takes 3-5 days. If they are opening too quickly, place them back into the cooler until you are ready to use them.
for Wholesalers
STEP 1
Process the flowers as soon as they arrive by cutting the stems 1” and removing any foliage that may remain below the water line.
STEP 3
After two or three hours of cold hydration, remove the corrugated cardboard sleeve, but leave the outer plastic sleeve for protection.
STEP 2
Immediately after stems are cut, place in hydration solution and place in cooler.
STEP 4
Allow the flowers to hydrate for another 4 or 5 hours before selling.