HiddenFromTOCHow to Keep Roses Alive Forever
- For best results, remove the roses from sunlight as soon as they are cut. This will preserve the rich red colour.
- Hang the roses in a cool, dark place to air dry them. Once dried, the rose can last for years.
- Dried rose petals don’t have the same smell as fresh roses, but if you want to preserve the scent, freeze drying them is the best option.
The rose is one of the world’s loveliest flowers, often used to mark special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or wedding. Roses in full bloom can make any event that bit more special.
But roses don’t last forever, and throwing them away once they’ve wilted feels a real waste. A lot of people opt to elongate the lifespan of their roses by air drying, freeze drying or spraying the fresh roses. This preserves the petals, ensuring you’ll always have a memento of that special event.
There’s a number of different ways to increase the life of your flowers. Take a look at these rose preservation techniques to ensure your flowers last as long as possible.
1. Air Drying the Rose
This is one of the most popular and effective ways to preserve fresh roses. It’s very little effort, and preserves the shape of the flower as well as the colour and scent. It works by dehydrating the rose and will keep it looking beautiful for years.
The best time to air dry the rose is just before it starts to wither, which means the rose may not be in full bloom for as long as it could be.
The first step is to trim the stem and remove leaves. For best results, arrange the petals so that you can see the layers, as this is how it will dry.
Hang the rose upside down in a cool, dark space such as a cellar or garage. Hanging it in a dark area will help to preserve the colour. The easiest way to hang it is to simply tape the stem to a wall.
If you are happy for your rose to be a bit darker once dried, you can hang it against a sunny window. This will dry the rose faster, but the colour will change slightly.
It’s also possible to air dry a full bouquet of roses. Wrap a rubber band around the rose stems, then hang the bouquet upside down to dry. After a few days, spray the blooms with hairspray to keep them in place.
Within two to four weeks, your rose (or roses) should be fully dry and can be displayed in a picture frame.
2. Pressing the Rose
Pressing a rose involves flattening and drying it out using a heavy object. This process is easy and allows you to arrange the petals how you like. However, this process can take around a month, and you won’t be able to preserve the stems.
Use flowers that are in full bloom, and ensure they are fairly dry.
The first step is to remove the stem of the rose; this can then be discarded. Remove any petals that are browning or damaged.
Insert parchment paper into a heavy book and place the rose on the paper. Shut the book so that the weight presses the rose down and flattens it. If needed, add heavy objects on top for more weight.
It can take up to 4 weeks for the rose to fully dry and flatten. Check on the rose every week or so, removing it once the petals are dry to the touch.
3. Freezing Drying the Rose
While a more costly option, freeze drying a rose is a lot quicker and can preserve the scent, as well as the form and colour. This involves exposing the rose to very cold temperatures to extract the moisture.
The easiest (and least expensive) way is to enlist the services of professional freeze dryers.
Otherwise, you’ll need your own freeze drying unit. This is costly, and not recommended unless you are planning on freeze drying a number of items.
Wait until the rose is in full bloom, then remove the leaves and cut the stems to the desired length. The shorter the stem, the faster the process.
Lay each flower on a tray with the petals separated, then load the tray into the machine and seal. Freeze at −21 °C for 24 hours. This will remove all moisture.
Every 2 days, increase the temperature by 2.8°C. Once you get to -7°C (after 10 days), remove the flowers and check that they are dry. They shouldn’t feel cold, as this means they contain too much moisture. If they feel cold, put them back into the freeze dryer for another 24 hours.
Freeze-dried flowers usually last for around a year or, with the right care, they may last for a much longer period of time.
4. Microwaving the Rose
You can also preserve a rose in the microwave. Although this method is slightly less reliable, it is much less effort. Microwaving a rose removes the moisture and it’s both quick and easy.
To microwave your rose, place the petals between two coffee filters, then place the filters between two plates. Microwave the rose for one minute, then check to see how dry the petals are. Continue to microwave until the rose is fully dry and the petals crisp.
5. Other Rose Preservation Methods
While the above methods are the most common and effective ways of flower preservation, there are a number of other ways you can elongate the life of your red roses.
Hairspray
One method is to spray roses with hairspray. This will keep your rose alive for longer, but it’s an ongoing process and needs to be done at regular intervals. Simply spray the flowers from a distance of a few inches, then hang the roses upside down to dry. Put them back into the vase once dry, and repeat a few days later.
Silica Gel
Another method is using silica gel. This will extract moisture from rose blooms.
Fill a tupperware container with a few inches of silica gel. Cut the stems down to around an inch, then bury the stems in the silica gel crystals. Pour crystals over the rest of the rose, and check every few days.
After a couple of weeks, remove the roses from the silica gel and wipe off any beads using a cotton swab.
Sand
A less common but still very effective way is to dry the roses in sand. This will dry out the flower and is very easy.
To do this you should first remove any moisture, then reinforce the stems and blossoms using florist wire. Place the roses upright in a large container filled with sand, and fully cover the roses. Leave the box in a warm and dry spot for up to three weeks, then pour out the sand and remove the now preserved flowers.
Preserving Roses FAQs
How long do dry rose petals last?
Provided they are kept in a dry area, dried rose petals can last up to 3 years. After this period, they will start to lose their rich colour.
How do you dry rose petals without losing colour?
There’s a couple of ways to preserve the colour of rose petals during the drying process. The most important thing is that you remove them from sunlight as soon as the roses are cut.
Dried flowers can last a long time, but you should keep them away from direct sunlight and extreme heat to help them retain their colour.
Do dried rose petals have a smell?
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to fully preserve the rich scent of fresh-cut roses, with dry roses having a soft and subtle scent instead. If you would like your dried roses to smell, you could consider spraying them with some rose scented oil.
If you want to preserve the scent of the roses, freeze drying them is the best option.
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