How to get the most out of your Valentine's Day roses

If you're planning on giving your loved one red roses for Valentine's Day be prepared to fork out an average of $120 for a dozen stems.

Twelve red roses will set you back between $90 to $150 today, the variation in cost depends on the quality grade of the roses and the standard of wrapping. 

If that's too costly a single red rose might be more within your budget at $15 to $20. You can expect your declaration of love to last for five to seven days, before dying. 

Robert Charles
An average bunch of a dozen red roses will set you back $120 today.

Moffatts Flower Company is the largest grower of red roses in New Zealand. It supplies some 70,000 red roses to florists and supermarkets nationwide for February 14.

General manager Nona Eklund says, flowers, in particular red roses, are more costly on Valentine's Day, but explains there is good reason for this. 

"We cut back all of our red roses just after Christmas so thousands of blooms are ready just in time for Valentine's Day, but this also means we lose out on six weeks of production and sales," Eklund says. 

The Christchurch flower growers enlisted the help of 15 extra staff, totalling their team to 55, to cut, grade and distribute 70,000 blooms late last week.

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While red roses are still the most popular flower to gift on Valentine's Day Eklund says lilies, crystheriums and sunflowers are all popular too. "People really like a mixed bunch."

She says these flowers are typically cheaper and last longer than roses, meaning you'll get more bang for your buck. 

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR FLOWERS

Much like a relationship, flowers will last longer if they are looked after, here's how:
*Remove any stem foliage that will sit below water, to avoid bacterial growth.
*Recut 2cm off all stems that have come out of water.
*Place immediately in fresh water (using a flower preservative or a splash of bleach).
*Change water every two to three days, recutting stems each time and removing any dead or dying petals or foliage.
*Don't leave your flowers in a hot car as this will definitely shorten their life span.