Basic
Preserving flowers for year-round use has been an artistic form of expression for decades and there are many methods by which flowers, foliage, grasses, seed pods, etc., may be preserved. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages and only through practice, and trial and error will the individual discover the method that suits him best.
Hanging to Dry
Air drying is one of the easiest methods of preserving seed pods and flowers and involves no expense. Simply tie the flowers in loose bunches and hang upside down until they are dry. A warm, dark room is the best. One to three weeks may be required for complete drying.
Borax
The use of borax for preserving flowers has an advantage in that the flowers hold their shape and shrinkage is minimal. Generally the color of the flowers is assured except pinks and reds may vary. Time is of the essence, however. If the flowers remain in borax too long, they become brittle and lose their petals.
Glycerine
For foliage: a mixture of 1 part glycerin and 2 parts water is generally recommended. Heat the water and then add the glycerin. Place the stems in the hot mixture for quicker results. Branches may be any length. Pull back the bark and crush the base of the stems about 4 to 6 inches. Place the branch ends in the solution 4 to 6 inches deep as soon as they are cut. Branches should be allowed to remain in the solution 2 to 6 weeks. The foliage should then last indefinitely. Most foliage preserved by glycerin will turn brown but will remain pliable. Some leaves if cut green will retain their color if they are removed from the glycerin within 24 to 36 hours. Cake coloring may be added to the solution to obtain a green, red-brown or yellow-brown color.
Silica Gel
Silica gel is a granular compound that can be found in most garden centers, nurseries, florist, or hobby shops. It absorbs moisture from flowers rapidly, thus preserving flower color better than other drying methods. Most flowers will dry in 36 to 48 hours.Use silica gel in an airtight container or it will absorb moisture from the air, not from the flower tissues. It may contain color coded salts that appear blue when dry and pink when moist. You can redry the silica gel in a warm oven (not in a microwave) and reuse it for other flowers later. Winifrede Morrison’s book Drying & Preserving Flowers gives details on the use of silica gel. Flowers that dry well in either borax or silica gel include: rose, aster, carnation, marigold, dahlia, larkspur, geranium, zinnia, chrysanthemum and delphinium. One word of caution when using the homemade agents or silica gel: the flowers will sometimes reabsorb moisture and wilt. For best success with flowers dried in an agent, display your flowers in a closed container to keep out dust and high humidity.
Arranging Method
Arranging dried roses and foliage is different from arranging fresh roses simply because dried roses are fragile. Patience, care, and glue are the key words for putting together a dried design. Just make sure you give yourself time and space in which to work. Depending upon design: dry flower foam, tweezers, Tacky glue, needle nose pliers, toothpicks, and floral wire are some tools you might need. Remember, if it breaks you can glue it back, petals, leaves, etc. Be generous with yourself, nothing has to be perfect, and any new task tried is always a learning experience. Have fun with your design. Let your creative spirit GO! Once your arrangement is completed, the dried material should be sprayed to preserve the color. I use ‘DMP’ or Dried Plant Material Preservative, but there are many brands available. These preservatives seal, protect, and help prevent roses from shattering and fading. They work, so make sure you use one of them! I normally keep my completed arrangements out of direct sunlight. However, when I build wreaths for my front door, I really spray them well and don’t worry about the sun. So far I haven’t had any major problems. Building a dried arrangement is lots of fun and a fantastic way to preserve the lasting beauty of your roses and other garden plants. It’s a great way to share your love of roses and the garden with others all year long.
Feed For Freshness
Despite all the advances in the commercial side of the industry, the key ingredients and techniques that home gardeners need to keep flowers looking fresh are still basically the same as they were 50 years ago. These ingredients—the same ones florists provide in those little packets they distribute—are sucrose (table sugar) and citric acid. That’s why lemon-lime soda, which contains both those key ingredients, makes great cut flower food if you don’t have one of those packets handy. This simple mix works because the sugars help supply the cut flowers with food, and the low pH of the acid helps to keep the plant’s vascular system unclogged and open for water and food uptake. With this food, the life of the flower’s chlorophyll and retention of its colorful pigments will last for a longer period of time. Without it, the vascular system is open to attack by a variety of microorganisms and soon becomes impassable.
Other Methods
There are many other materials that may be used for drying flowers such as using detergents. They may be used alone or mixed with corn meal at the rate of 1 part detergent and 2 parts corn meal. Kitty litter is also very absorbent and light in weight and may be used by applying the same techniques used for sand or borax methods of drying.
A method for maintaining the freshness of a cut flower is disclosed. The method comprises the step of causing a flowering plant to imbibe an aqueous solution of a composition for maintaining the freshness of flower which comprises a mixture or a reaction product of a silver compound and an organic compound having a functional group capable of forming a water-soluble complex with a silver ion through the sulfur atom thereof to a flowering plant.
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