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DRIED FLOWERS |
Valentine.gr |
How to dry flowers?
 This is a question we
are asked so often at this this time of the year, that we thought it would be good to
spend a page on our web site on this subject.
First it is good to know that not all flowers can be dried. Some flowers contain too much
moisture and even drying in silicagel will not work. Let me first discuss the different
ways of drying:flowers:
Air
drying.
Like the name
says: its a way of letting the air dry the flowers and stems. Flowers are
picked, often
when they are in full bloom, stripped of the leaves, tied in bunches with rubber bands
(this is because the stems shrink) and hung to dry in an airy dry location away from the
sun.
Drying in a drying agent.
Most well known is
silica gel, but also clean dry sand can be used. I have heard that a fine
kitty-litter
works well and one can also make a mixture of cornmeal and borax with some salt added to
it. Usually just the flower heads are dried This way, because one will need too large a
container to dry out the stems also.
Usually an airtight container is used, the flower
heads are place in the drying mixture face up, and very carefully covered with the
mixture. The container must be kept closed during the drying process. After 4-14 days,
depending on the thickness of the flower, the flower will be dry.
It's good to experiment drying flowers this way. I have heard people getting real good
results with different kinds of flowers.
Freeze drying.
For this method we will need
a freeze drying machine. Usually only larger companies have this
equipment, since the high cost. (Prices start at $15.000.)-Taxidermist use this
equipment. It's understandable that
the cost is often over $20.- per " length of fish.
Many different flowers, fruits and vegetables can be dried this way.
Preserving flowers
Preserving flowers and
greens with a mixture of glycerin (1/3) and water (2/3). Eucalyptus, Cedar and other
evergreens are preserved this way. Fresh cut stems are placed in the preserving solution
and the plant will soak up the solution replacing the water with glycerin what keeps the
plant pliable.The greenery will turn a bronze color, that's why when materials are
preserved commercially, a dye is added to the glycerin mixture.
Most common flowers that be air
dried:
Yarrow, pick in full bloom
Delphinium, pick just before in full bloom
Echinops, pick when flower heads have reached the desired color, but before
Liatris pick just before in full bloom
Lavender, pick when flower heads have reached the desired color
Grasses: pick just before in full bloom
Hydrangea. The flowers of the
Hydrangea need to mature on the bush. This will take about 6 weeks or more.
When you think the flowers are ready, try just a few to check. Over night you can see if
the flower will dry well. If they shrinkup, it's too early, then wait a while longer.
General rule for
determining the right picking time:
When the flower has an
unusual thick stem in comparison to the flower head, flowers might develop more during the
first days when drying. Straw flowers need to be picked before
the flower has
fully opened, otherwise they will open too much.
Drying Flowers Over the
Dryer
Hang your flower or
flowers over your dryer for just a few days while doing laundry. This allows the flowers
to not only dry out, but keeps them from becoming brittle.
Dry Flowers in the Microwave
Take a packet of
silica gel (comes in shoe boxes). Place flower in microwave with gel sprinkled on it
(three flowers per packet) and microwave for 2 minutes.
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