Rant: I used to throw out so many roses before I tried a new trick with sugar

For years, I'd watch roses droop after maybe 4 days in the cooler. Last month, a grower from the San Diego flower market told me to add 2 tablespoons of plain white sugar to the vase water instead of just the packet food. My test batch lasted a full 7 days before they started to go. Has anyone else tried this or have a different trick for rose longevity?

3 comments

3 Comments

janab822mo ago

That sugar trick never worked for me, honestly.

blake_black471mo ago

Did you try leaving the sugar water out for a full 48 hours though? I've found that some batches take way longer to kick in, maybe because the sugar needs to really ferment and attract them. @the_pat mentioned sticky traps, and honestly I had to switch to those too when I got impatient with the sugar mix. What kind of bugs were you trying to get rid of?

the_pat2mo ago

Yeah same here, it totally failed for me too. Tried it with fruit flies last summer and they just ignored the sugar water completely. Ended up having to buy those sticky traps instead. Felt like such a waste of time mixing it all up. Some tricks just don't work for everyone I guess.