Roses, as gorgeous as they are, can be dangerous. Not in the jump-out-and-attack kind of way but instead because they are silent attackers with thorns that are just waiting to sink into the palm of your unsuspecting hand. Yikes!
When you pick roses, you need to be very careful. When giving them to other people as gifts, however, it’s generally a wide idea to remove the thorns first and today we’re teaching you how to do it safely.
Why do roses have thorns, in the first place?
Surprisingly, roses don’t have thorns just so that they can hurt us when we pick them. Their thorns actually serve a purpose that benefits the flowers in the wild: pest control.
That’s right – those painful thorns are painful for a reason, and that reason is to ward off pests like caterpillars that would otherwise munch the stems.
Should I remove rose thorns?
If you’re planning on using the flowers for decorative purposes, then yes. However, if you’re thinking of de-thorning live roses there are a few factors to consider, as well as a few reasons as to why yu might ant to avoid doing that if you enjoy the look of a vibrant rose garden.
Of course, removing the thorns give pests much easier access to the flower but, in addition, removing the thorns can cause unnecessary harm to the epidermis of the rose stem. Ultimately, this can lead to infections, more pests, and a rose that dies much faster than those with their thorns still attached.
Removing Rose Thorns
Stop! Put down the giant garden shears; they aren’t needed to get this job done.
To remove thorns from roses all you need is a bit of patience, gardening gloves, and some simple garden tools.
1. Put on your gloves and pick your rose.
2. Lay it down and carefully pluck the thorns from one side of the rose, then turn it and do the other side and repeat.
It’s so simple yet so complex when you consider all the different tools you could use to remove the thorns. While garden shears could work, they tend to be overkill for this small job.
So, instead, consider using a sharp pairing knife or nail clippers. The knife should be the sharpest one you can find; ideally, one that removes the thorn in one go as to avoid harming the stem of the flower. One way to use the knife is running it up the length of the stem, effectively taking all the thorns off without labor intensive clipping.
You can opt to remove the thorns at their base, cutting the entire thorn off or you could just cut the pointy end off each individual thorn. This method preserves some of the natural appearance of the flower without the risk of being stabbed, poked, or scratched with thorns.