Roses don't like a Southern California heat wave any more than we do. Warm, dry air pulls water out of petals and stems, and a vase that looked full in the morning can be low by evening. With good care, some roses can stay fresh in water for up to two weeks or more.

The First Hour

What you do right after the roses arrive makes the biggest difference.

1. Unwrap the bouquet and remove the leaves that would sit below the waterline. Leaves left in water rot and feed bacteria.
2. Recut each stem about half an inch from the bottom, at an angle, with a sharp knife or clean shears.
3. Fill a clean vase with cold water and flower food, deep enough to cover at least 2 inches of the stems.
4. Put the roses in right away.

Where to Put the Vase

Choose the coolest spot in the room, out of direct sun. In many LA homes, that means away from west-facing windows in the afternoon. Keep roses away from anything that runs warm, like the stove or a TV, and away from the fruit bowl. Ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, which makes flowers age faster.

Every Day, and Every Three Days

Check the water level every day, because roses drink fast in hot weather. Every three days, change the water completely and recut the stems. Pull off any outer petals that turn brown or papery; the rest of the bloom will look better without them.

Keep the Vase Clean

Bacteria in the water clog the stems and stop them from drinking. Each time you change the water, wash the vase with warm, soapy water and rinse it well. If you run out of flower food, clean water changed often is the next best thing.

During a Heat Wave or Santa Ana Winds

Hot, dry days call for a few extra steps:

• top up the water in the morning and again in the evening
• move the vase to the coolest room in the house overnight
• keep it out of the path of fans and drafts, which dry out the petals

Reviving a Drooping Rose

If a rose head bends over, the stem has usually stopped taking up water. Recut the stem, then lay the whole rose in a sink of warm water for about 30 minutes. Put it back in the vase with fresh water and flower food. Many roses perk up. If one doesn't, take it out so it doesn't cloud the water for the others.

Rose Boxes and Foam Arrangements

Arrangements set in floral foam, including boxes and baskets, need water every day. Pour about a cup of water into the center of the foam.

Getting Roses Home

If you pick up your order in Long Beach, take the roses straight home. Never leave them in a parked car, even for a quick errand; the inside of a car in the sun heats up fast.

Start With Fresh Roses

Care helps most when the roses start out fresh. When you order roses for delivery in Los Angeles from us, each bouquet is prepared to arrive fresh and looking its best. The flower care page on our website has more tips for bouquets and foam arrangements.