Home >> Do-It-Yourself >> Flower Drying

Flower Drying

The key to drying flowers is toremember that you need to remove themoisture from the flower or other plantmaterial as quickly as possible. Thesimplest form of flower preservation isair-drying as it requires no specialmaterials or expertise. It is excellent forbeginners. Moisture is removed fromthe petals by the circulation of air,using no preservative. Flowers will dry,if there is no residual moisture fromrain or dew. Choose perfect specimensonly Remove any large leaves as theybecome shrivelled and unattractivewhen dried; smaller leaves can beremoved by rubbing them off afterdrying if you wish.

Gather the stems into small bunches - not too large or they will rot. Fasteneach bunch with elastic bands, whichwill contract as the stems dry andshrink. Hang the hunches heads downin a dry, dark, airy place. Some plantsare best dried upright, so theirpendulous nature is preserved. Simplyprepare them as normal and place in acompletely dry container.

Other ways of drying flowers arepreserving foliage in glycerine andusing desiccants, both of which arecovered alongside.

Do not allow dried flowers to becomedamp and be particularly aware of condensationin bathrooms and on window ledges

A rewarding aspect of dried-flowerarranging is drying and preserving the plantmaterial yourself, such as bunches of lavender

PRESERVING FOLIAGE IN GLYCERINE

1. Choose a container large enough totake the foliage and add the glycerine.

2. Top up with 2 parts hot water to 1 partglycerine to a depth of no more than 8 cm/3 in. Mix well.

3. For wood-stemmed foliage, cut andsplit the stem ends, then place in theglycerine mixture immediately. Forcalyces, seed heads, herbaceous foliage andsoft-stemmed leaves, allow the mixture tocool first. Stand the container in a warm,dry, dark place.

4. Check the container every day and topup with fresh glycerine mixture ifnecessary. You will notice the foliagechanging colour as the glycerine isgradually absorbed. Wipe the stems dryafter removing from the mixture.

5. If the leaves have absorbed too muchglycerine they will look oily and be proneto mildew. If this occurs, immerse thefoliage in warm water with a drop ofwashing-up liquid, rinse, shake off excesswater and stand in a warm place to dry.

More dried materials are available to buythan ever before, but many plants can be driedsuccessfully at home. Make up arrangementsusing a combination of home-dried plants andother-, more exotic bought ones, such as thelarge Banksia cookinea used in this lovely dried arrangement.

DRYING WITH DESICCANT

1. Spoon a layer of silica gel or borax intoa container to a depth of 1 cm/1/2 in. Forsilica gel, use a clean airtight container.Preserve one layer of flowers per containerto avoid damaging them.

2. Continue sprinkling the material so thecrystals gradually cover the flower.Continue until there is a 1 cm/1/2. in layeron top of the flowers.

3. If using silica gel, cover the container with a lid or with kitchen foil sealed with tape to make it airtight. Label with the plant name and date. If using borac, do not seal the container, but leave in a warm place with a constant temperature, such as an airing cupboard. As a rough guide, miniature flowers may take 3-4 days to dry, roses 7-10 days and flesy flowers, such as orchids, 2-3weeks. To test the flowers, gently scrape back the dessicant and remove a single flower. If it looks dry, flick it gently with your finger. If it makes a crisp, papery sound it is dry. Pour off the desiccant, catching each flower as you do.

FLOWERS THAT DRY EASILY

- Artichoke and cardoon (Cynara)Bells of Ireland (Mollucelia)

- Cape honey flower (I'rotea)Chinese lanterns or winter cherry (Physalis)

- Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)Eucalyptus

- Flowers from the onion family (Alhum)Globe thistle (Echinops)

- Helichrysum

- Hydrangea

- Kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos)Love-in-a-mist (Nigella)Statice (Phsylliostachys)Yarrow (Achillea)

Other Do It Yourself Articles:

| Austrian Blind | Buffet Party | Buying Plants | Ceiling Decorating | Choose Paint Brush | Choosing Floor Coverings | Choosing Your Own Flower Arrangements | Choosing Landscaping Plants | Choosing Themes | Christmas Decoration Ideas | Cleaning Tip | Container Gardening Ideas | Cooking Methods and Choice of Nuts | Cooking Tip | Cornice Window Treatments | Covering Floors | Cusion Materials | Daily Household Chores | Decorating Rooms | Decorative Art Painting Technique | Decoupage Equipment | Decoupage Ideas | Dinner Table Etiquette | Display Lighting | Diy Soft Furnishing Hot Tips | Do It Yourself Wood Storage | Door Repair | Double Glazing Windows | Draught Proof Door | Dried Fruit Loaf | Dusting Tips | Easy Cushion Embellishments | Emergency and First Aid | Fabric Repair Holes | First Aid Survival Guide | Fish Varieties | Fitting Shelves in an Alcove | Fixing Electric Fan | Flooring Repair | Floral Displays For The Home | Flower Arrangement Center Piece | Flower Arranging | Flower Arranging Tips | Flower Bathroom Decor | Flower Decorating | Flower Drying | Flower Drying Equipment | Food Safety Guidelines | Free Standing Shelving | Fresh Flower Arrangement | Fruit Preparing | Garden Floor Plan Designs | Garden Gravel | Gardening Finishing Touches | Garden Lighting Ideas | Garden {aving | Gilding Equipment | Gilding Techniques | Grass Alternatives | Handsewing | Hanging Doors | Hanging Picture Frames | Picture Hanging | Healthy Diet Plan | Home Appliance Repair | Home Improvement Budget | Home Interior Decorating | Home Ligting | Homemade Christmas Decorations | Home Safety Awareness | Home Safety Checklist | Home Security | House Cleaning Tips | Household Tips for Laundry | Housekeeping Tips | How to Make Bed Linen | How to Make a Wreath | How to Make Icing | Herbs and Spices | How to Decorate a Table | Candle Decorating | Decorating Tip | House Plant Care | How Do I Pick A Good Vacuum Cleaner | How Do You Decorate a China | How to Increase Livable Space | How to Antique Furniture | How to Build a Pergola | How to Decorate Glass Ornaments | How to Decorate Lamp Shades | How to Decorate My Home | How to Dress a Bed | How to Build a Storage Box | How to Choose Ceramic Tile | Lawn and Garden Care | How to Build a Closet | How to Create a Beautiful Outdoor | How to Install Cabinet Hinge | Patio Ideas | Window Dressing | Dried Flower Arranging | Using Herbs | Kitchen Gardening | How to Install Vinyl Floor | Create More Space in the Home | Stain Removal | Home Insulation | How to Fit a Door | How to Fit Dado Rail Upstairs | How to Make Curtain Valences | How to Make Roman Blinds | How to Organize Space | How to Plan a Party | How to Prepare to Paint House | How to Prune Trees | How to Recycle | How to Sew a Box Cushion | How to Use a Paint Brush | How to Use Fresh Ingredient | Hydroculture | Ideas On How To Set Up Contract For Home Improvement | Illness and Child Care | Indoor Plant Display | Installing Crown Moulding | Home and Interior Garden | Ironing Tips | Kitchen Lighting | Kitchen Organize Tips | Landscape Garden Design | Last Day Before Holiday | Lawn Weed Control | Laying a Foam Backed Carpet | Laying a Woven Carpet | Laying Carpet on Stairs | Laying Floor Tiles | Laying Hardwood Flooring | Laying Vinyl Tile | Low Maintenance Plants | Hanging Mirror | How to Make Curtain | Textile Patching | Moving House | Napkin Folds | Outdoor Safety | Paint Effects | Painting Doors | Wallpapering Tips | Paperhanging Tools and Equipment | Party Planning Ideas | Pet Safety | Planning Your Garden | Plant Decoration | Plant Potting | Plaster Wall Repair | Preparing For Paperhanging | Preparing Garden Soil | Preparing Surfaces For Covering | Preparing Wood Floors | Proper Table Setting | Hanging Wallpaper Border | Removing Old Finishes | Repairing Furniture | Household Appliance Repair | Rose Center Piece Flower Arrangement | Save Energy at Home | Sesame Seed Bread | Soft Furnishing | Soft Furnishing Hot Tips | Soft Furnishing Sewing | Solid Wood Floor Installation | Stamping Equipment | Stamp Making | Stem Cutting | Stencilling Equipment | Storage Organize | Storage Shelving | Stripping Old Wall Coverings | Table Flower Decorations | Tiling a Wall | Tiling Tools | Tools and Equipment for Furnishings | Type of Houseplant | Using Colour Pattern and Texture | Using Cushions | Wall Decorating Ideas | Wallfixings | Wallpainting Ideas | Wallpapering Ceilings | Wallpapering Corners | Wallpapering Stairwells | Wall Repair | Watering Plants | Well Equipped Kitchen | Window Dressing Ideas | Window Repair | Wood Embellishment | How to Use a Sewing Machine | How to doWall Tiling | How to Install a Door | How to Fit a Curtain Pole | How to Fold a Napkin | How to Make A Round Bolster Cushion | How to Make A Stencil | How to Make Couch Cushion Covers | How to Make a Table Cloth