Perfect Valentine Roses: Tips for your Fresh-Cut Roses to make Valentine's Day a Success
SUMMARY:
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Partner with Quality Suppliers: Ensure your roses come from trusted growers who follow proper post-harvest care for optimal quality.
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Train Your Team: Refresh staff on flower care practices to maintain quality during peak seasons.
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Choose the Right Varieties: Select long-lasting, travel-friendly roses that suit your business and customer preferences.
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Store and Hydrate Properly: Keep roses cool (1–3°C) and hydrate them for at least 24 hours before use.
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Follow a Care Checklist: Sanitise tools, trim stems, chill roses, and maintain proper vase care for freshness and longevity.
Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest times of the year for florists, but with careful planning, it’s also an opportunity to deliver exceptional quality and secure repeat business. Since many customers only purchase flowers on special occasions, it’s crucial to provide stunning roses with long vase life. Here’s how to get your roses ready for success.
Leverage on your strong partnerships with your suppliers
A dependable grower or wholesaler will provide top-quality roses, perform vase life trials, and follow strict post-harvest protocols. This ensures each rose is handled, stored, and treated properly. Quality roses from a supplier you can trust go a long way in your ability to meet your customers’ expectations.
Update your team's flower care knowledge
Flower care knowledge is critical during peak periods and if you rely on extra hands, you need to refresh your regular staff’s knowledge. Proper training ensures everyone knows how to handle roses correctly, resulting in better quality, and happier customers.
Choose the right varieties for your business
Not all roses are the same. Select varieties that perform well in your shop – those that are long-lasting, travel well, or are customer favourites. Knowing your varieties and their specific traits will help you make the best decisions for your business.
Storage and hydration essentials
Give your fresh-cut roses their best chance at thriving with some handy tricks and tips:
- Keep Roses Cool
Roses should be stored at 1–3°C. If they arrive dry-packed, they can remain in this state for a couple of days, provided the temperature is maintained.
- Hydrate Properly
- Start with a clean bucket and use the correct hydration solution.
- Trim 2–3 cm from the stems using a clean, sharp tool.
- Do not overcrowd buckets, and ensure good air circulation around the stems to prevent mould.
- Allow roses to hydrate for at least 24 hours before use.
Valentine Roses Care and Handling Checklist
Whether roses are imported internationally or have been grown locally, aftercare is always important.
- Hydration After Harvest
- Sanitise buckets and tools before use.
- Use a hydration solution.
- Cut 2–3 cm off the ends of the stems.
- Chill flowers at 1–3°C immediately after hydration.
- Storage and Shipping
- Maintain storage temperatures between 1–3°C with 75–85% relative humidity.
- Rotate stock using the FIFO method (First In, First Out).
- Vase Care
- Remove leaves below the waterline.
- Use properly dosed vase solutions like FloraLife® or Chrysal products.
- For dry-packed roses, trim 2–3 cm from the stems before placing them in water.
Quick Tips for Red Roses
Some handy tips:
- Guard Petals: The outer petals protect the rose during shipping. Remove them for a cleaner look, or leave them on for a natural aesthetic.
- Black Petal Edges: These can occur due to high sunlight and temperature fluctuations during growth. Growers can minimise this by covering flower heads during development.
Follow these guidelines to maximise the freshness and vitality of your Valentine’s Day roses. At Koch & Co®, we’re here to help you deliver quality flowers that keep customers coming back for more. For more information about the maintenance and care of fresh-cut flowers, read our other Koch blogs Guide to Flower Food: Best Practices for Extending Vase Life and Why should you consider professionally made flower food over homemade flower food?