Keeping a fresh bouquet of roses or flowers is a piece of cake:
1. Fill a clean vase halfway with lukewarm water, and mix in the preservative bag that came with your gift. Or you can make your own preservative by mixing 1 gallon of water with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Why bother? Your flowers will last twice as long as they would if you used just plain water.
2. Remove the leaves and foliage that would be under water and cut about a half inch off the bottom of the stems. Cut at a 45-degree angle to allow better uptake of the water.
3. Where you put that vase is key to flower longevity. Place the arrangement in a cool spot, away from direct sun and heat or light from appliances, and out of cold or hot drafts. If you want closed buds on roses to open more quickly, put them in a warm room, but switch them back to a cool space once they open.
4. Add more water every day and every fourth day, change the water, adding new preservative.
5. If your roses are taking a nod or wilting, revive them by re-cutting the bottom stems under water and soaking the entire rose bouquet in a bathtub or bucket of warm water. They should perk up after an hour.
