Photo credit: Associated Press
If you received a bouquet of red roses for Valentine's Day, your sweetheart may be a little short on imagination.
Something like 187 million roses were sold on Valentine's Day 2009, and if it sales were any less this year, it is certainly because of the snow.
And, according to some estimates, red roses account for almost half of all Valentine's Day flower purchases.
If you'd like that bouquet to last a while, here are some tips from the floral industry.
If the flowers arrived in a box or a celophane bouquet, re-cut the tips of the stems before you put them in water. Also, remove any leaves that might be covered by water to reduce bacterial growth.
Use the floral preservative that undoubtedly came with the flowers. But change the water every two or three days. The chlorine in the fresh water will kill off the bacteria, too. Consider recutting the stems to allow for more water update.
If your flowers wilt severely, there are a couple of ways to try to bring them back.
Wrap each stem in newspaper and put it back in fresh water. The newspaper will help the flower stand up straight while it absorbs more water.
Or, immerse the entire flower in a water for 30 minutes, allowing it to lie flat.
Keep your bouquet in a cool spot, but out of a cold draft and out of direct sunlight.
Then politely mention to your sweetheart that gems last longer than roses!