The are lots of factors that determine the durability of roses. Here is an explanation of the factors that are important before you can buy the roses.

It all starts with the cultivation. Roses that are exposed to different weather conditions are getting stronger due to it. A week of sun while growing is better for the durability than a week of dark and rainy weather. Colder nights are better for the durability than warm nights. 18 hours of light is better than 24 hours of light (this can be applicable by using artificial light)

Why is that? A leaf has stomata which regulate the vaporization of the plant. The stomata can open and close. If the stomata are always open, they become lazy and have more difficulty closing under bad circumstances. Because of this, the rose evaporates more water than it can absorb, which causes the rose to droop.

Different weather conditions and the right way to cultivate prevent that the stomata become lazy and the durability of the roses will be better.

The treatment after harvesting:

After harvesting, the roses need to be put into the water as soon as possible. Before a rose is able to go into a vase, it has to rest and absorb lots of water in a cold storage room for at least one night. Dutch roses are always taken to the auction in buckets with a layer of water. It doesn’t matter if it goes to the auction, the florist or the consumer, what’s important is that a rose can’t be left without water for too long. Dry transport is always at the expense of the durability. Nowadays, 70 – 80% of the roses are cultivated in Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia). These roses are transported dry, by truck, plane and then truck again to their destination (mostly the auctions in the Netherlands). It is obvious that this isn’t great for the durability and it is the main reason for a bad vase life. Altough, some roses can handle it better than other roses.

Not all roses are the same:

Every variety of roses have their own characteristics and their own durability. One rose is simply stronger and less sensitive to conditions than the other rose. By cultivating and transporting the roses the right way, you can try to make them last longer, but a variety that already has a bad durability will never get a great durability. A selection of the right varieties and the right way of cultivating and transporting is essential to get an excellent durability!

The goal of Longerliferoses is to release roses on the market so that the consumer will not get dissapointed after purchasing roses.