Perk up your droopy roses with a quick bath
SIR – Alison Fenton (Letters, October 22) wants to know how to stop rose heads drooping.
Many years ago a Turkish roseseller told me how to do this. You need to soak them horizontally as soon as you get them, having trimmed an inch off the stem with a diagonal cut. The easiest way is to put an inch of water in the bath and lay them down, propping the heads on something to keep them clear of the water. After half an hour or so, they can go in the vase as usual.
If I understood correctly, it’s something to do with roses having a woody stem, so if they have dried out there is no way that soaking them vertically will allow the moisture to reach the flower head. Dr Hilary Aitken
Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire SIR – Cut half an inch off the stems and crush the ends, then stand the roses in an inch of boiling water for 10 minutes. Bubbles should appear from the ends.
Stand the flowers in cold water for half an hour before arranging them. Joan Walkden
Wickham Bishops, Essex
SIR – Drooping rose heads have probably been exposed to fluctuations in temperature.
As soon as drooping occurs, cut the stems by one third and plunge them in boiling water for five seconds. Then arrange them in tepid water with rose food.
If all else fails, buy your roses from Marks & Spencer. Shirley Copps
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire