Sunday, 4 March 2012

How to Make Dried Flowers

By June A. Rayford


The aesthetic appeal of flowers has long been acknowledged by people. Even the most vibrant, beautiful flowers unfortunately have to perish at some point once severed from the main shrub. You do not have to agonize over your cut flowers dying early if you dry them.

People dry flowers for a lot of special events. Special occasions such as Valentine's Day usually prompt persons to start drying blooms because of the number of flowers that are given out and received. People also often begin the project once springtime comes, because flowers start blooming everywhere.

The easiest way to dry flowers is by letting them dry alone. Most people remove leaves and small shoots from the stems prior to bunching up several flowers to be dried. Tie the bunched-up flowers with a cord and hang them with the flowers pointing to the floor.

Each bunch should have a nice bit of space from the next, so that they can dry much more quickly. Keeping the stems in an upside-down position ensures that the stems remain straight. Doing it the other way usually produces rather droopy-looking flowers.

Drying blooms is best done in a space insulated from the sun. The buds need to be removed from photo contact as soon as possible as prolonged exposure to the sun will cause their colors to fade. Make sure to never have any dampness in the room if you want to dry flowers, or you may end up with rotten pieces.

If you do settle on the simplest method, you shall need a month or so. The drier the room where you have hung them and the drier the blooms themselves, the faster you can collect your dried flowers. While it is easy to determine when the drying process is complete as a dried flower will feel stiff and dry, it is best to check on the buds every two to three days to be sure.

If the flowers you are using are naturally moist, you may turn to chemical agents such as silica gel. A lot of people prefer to flatten their flowers for preservation, storing them between leaves of heavy tomes and putting them away to dry. Drying with silica gel will take about three to four days, while pressing takes two to four weeks.

People use dried flowers for a great many arts and crafts projects. Just because a flower has been dried does not mean it can no longer be used in a floral arrangement, as many arrangements actually use them. Dried flowers may even be displayed simply, without any real arrangement, just as a bunch of buds and blooms in a container.

It is entirely normal to find dust on preserved blooms later on. Dust your preserved blooms regularly to keep them looking great. Placing mothballs nearby keeps away rodents and other pests that might be interested in wiping out your lovely arrangement as a snack.

The most beautiful blooms may be kept much longer if they are dried, so you can still enjoy them out of season. There is not a lot of work involved in drying flowers, but it pays off very well. Drying flowers is a unique and creative way to hold on to keepsakes that would otherwise have wilted away.




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