Spray it with Roses!

Spray roses are a nice reminder of the versatility of our friend, genus Rosa, family Rosaceae. You may receive a bouquet of lovely, long-stemmed roses that speak of elegance and refinement.  Or, you might receive a bunch of spray roses that is definitely more fun and flirty than its classier cousin.  Similar but different, spray roses come with their own care and handling advice, and this is the topic of the latest Floralife® article for LivRio, “Spray Roses: Good Things Come in Small Packages.”

Spray roses offer all the beauty of a standard rose but on a charming smaller scale. In other words, they’re CUTE! What they lack in size however, they make up for in numbers. Rather than sporting one single large flower per stem, spray roses develop an inflorescence of many miniature, perfectly formed rose buds, making them perfect for large romantic bouquets and delicate corsages alike.

The chief difference between standard and spray roses – the number of flowers per stem – is also the feature that makes working with sprays a bit of a challenge. Rather a single bloom on a stem, each inflorescence presents with a number of buds, often at different stages of development, size and openness.

So, as is often the case, all you can do is to provide the best care and handling, practices and tools to help this little cutie to perform in the vase.  And your friends at Floralife® have all of the pertinent info!

Spray Roses Care and Handling Tips

The LivRio article covers:

Purchasing: Including tips on ethylene sensitivity (like, using ethylene inhibitors such as EthylBloc™ or EthylGuard!)  Also, a discussion on choosing blooms at their best stage of opening.

Postharvest Hydration: The importance of sanitizing tools and surfaces with D.C.D.® cleaner. Also, notes on stem cutting, treating with flower food solutions such as Floralife Crystal Clear® or Floralife® Express.  Proper storage temperatures are also key. 

Shipping and Storage: Again, proper temps are vital, as well as wrapping your bunches to protect them during transport.

Re-hydration at Store Level: Using sanitized tools and buckets, cut dry-packed stems and treating them with Floralife® Quick Dip.  Then, into Floralife Crystal Clear® or Floralife® Express 300 they go. Watch those temperatures, and be on the lookout for botrytis!!

The discussion concludes with vase tips and a look at some common defects, their causes and ways to mitigate them. As always, TONS more detail at the original article, so check it out!