Air may enter stems at such injuries, blocking water uptake. Prepare a deep vase or other container with an ample supply of lukewarm water. Avoid water from a water softener. Be sure to use a clean container, and, for best results, include floral preservative, if provided. Mix the preservative with room temperature water, in the proportion recommended on the package.
Floral preservative provides sugars, balances pH, and limits bacterial growth.
Fill a sink or wide container with several inches of warm water. While holding each stem under water, cut about one inch diagonally off the end with a sharp knife or shears. Place the roses in your container before the stems dry off. If floral foam is used, saturate it thoroughly, and insert stems firmly. Gently remove any outermost petals which may have been bruised during shipping.