Learn how to prepare show roses

 

  • Pick your roses the night before a show. The blooms should be half to three-quarters open and should not be marked, damaged, underdeveloped or have split, blunt or confused centres. The stems should be strong and straight, in proportion to the bloom.
  • If your blooms reach their peak three or four days before a show, store them in water in the fridge. They will keep fresh and won’t open further.
  • On the day, give yourself plenty of time to set up. If the picked bloom is still too tight, blow into it to separate the petals or use ear buds to open the petals. Pull out torn or damaged petals, making sure that the judge cannot detect this.
  • Clean the leaves with milk, remove torn or damaged leaves.