Monday, February 27, 2012

Turn Fresh Flowers into Dried Ones

Various cultures agree on the identification of flowers with that which is attractive. One sad thing about flowers is that they do not last long once cut from the plant. You do not have to agonize over your cut flowers dying early if you dry them.

There are a great many reasons for drying blooms. You may want to dry most of the flowers you get from other people if you want to keep them longer. The season following winter is usually a perfect time for drying blooms.

You can air dry your flowers to preserve them. One has to prune the stems until they are smooth and have no leaves before putting together the flowers to be dried. You may hang your flowers from just about any line you want and let them dry that way.

If you want your flowers to dry more quickly, make sure there is breathing room in between clumps. It is recommended to hang blooms upside-down because this means you can retain the straightness of each stem. Be certain that the flowers hang with the heads pointing to the floor, or you might have to put up with sad, bent stems afterwards.

You must make certain that there is no direct light from the sun reaching the flowers. The hues of dried blooms are preserved by removing them from the touch of the sun. You must be certain that there is no moisture in the drying area.

You shall have to wait for around 15 or more days before being able to harvest flowers from an air-dry procedure. Drying duration varies depending on the water content of the plants as well as general conditions of temperature, humidity and air circulation. A few occasional checks may be wise if you are worried about problems like rot or fungus cropping up.

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. Silica gel drying is the fastest technique at less than a week, while pressing may take as long as or even longer than air drying.

Once the drying procedure is completed, you can begin to create floral arrangements, crafts and other decorations. 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. If you want a simple use for them, just get a vase, put the flowers in it, then put the vase wherever you want.

As with other decorative items, dried floral arrangements have a tendency to accumulate dirt and dust. Make sure to give them a regular dusting using a delicate feather duster. If you are worried about unwanted "houseguests" damaging the flowers, put a mothball or two near them.

If you want to have bright flowers in your house all the time, drying is a great trick to learn. There is not a lot of work involved in drying flowers, but it pays off very well. If you do not want to have to throw out the flowers you value so much after they wilt, drying is a great procedure to learn.


If you need some help in making great mothers day flowers, I invite you to hit the link and you'll be helped.