Despite a down economy, 21.4 percent of shoppers buying Valentine’s Day gifts will do so at specialty stores such as florists, electronics stores and greeting card/gift stores, according to the National Retail Federation.
Many folks who purchase flowers for Valentine’s Day will choose the red rose, said local floral designer Jeffrey Dendy, owner of Jeffrey’s Floral and Event Design in Riverview.
“But once people receive flowers, they don’t know how to take care of them,” he said. “By following just a few steps, roses can stay beautiful for a week or longer.”
If you want to grow your own beautiful roses, now’s the time to learn how. Holcomb Garden Center will host a “Growing Roses the Easy Way” class in its Hixson store at 7 p.m. Friday. The store is at 5513 Highway 153. Call 877-8782 for reservations.
FIVE STEPS
1 Remove the roses from the vase and put them in a temporary container.
2 Fill the vase with fresh water and add a half teaspoon of household bleach per 16 ounces of water. The bleach prevents bacteria.
3 Cut each rose approximately 3/4 inch from the base of each stem immediately before placing it in the vase. This removes any air bubbles.
4 Do not place roses in drafts, direct sunlight, near fruit, heaters, TVs or refrigerators.
5 Change the water daily to extend the vase life of your roses.