How to keep cut roses fresh and fragrant

Plus: the right soil temperature for planting bush beans

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Q. I treasure the beauty and fragrance of the roses that I gather from the garden. How can I keep the cut roses fresh for as long as possible?

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A. First, take a bucket of clean water with you into the garden and place the cut roses directly in the water. Indoors, remove all leaves that would be submerged in the vase water and re-cut the stems under water before placing them in the vase.

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Make certain the vase is thoroughly clean, and fill it to the desired level with tepid water. For roses, I usually mix in a commercial floral preservative. Place the arranged roses in a cool location for a few hours. After that, keep them away from direct sun and heat.

Q. How warm does the soil need to be for planting bush beans?

A. Though bush green beans vary in their cold tolerance, for most varieties the soil temperature should be at least 15 C. A simple soil thermometer is an excellent investment at minimal cost.

Sometimes, to deal with the amount of planting I do in the spring, I sow seeds outdoors before the ideal soil temperature is reached. That often works well with cool growing plants like peas, spinach and root vegetables, though germination may take longer than usual. Early seeding is more of a challenge for heat lovers like bush beans. In cold soil, especially if it is wet, the seeds are prone to rotting.

Q. Is it normal for an arbutus tree in my yard to produce clusters of white bells? Will the tree form and spread seeds?

A. Our native coastal Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii) bears clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers in drooping clusters, followed by orange-red berries.

Though seeds in the berries are often spread around by birds, seedlings do not usually appear in abundant numbers. I’ve had only a few seedlings appear in my garden from two huge arbutus trees in the yard next to me.

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