Monday, February 27, 2012

How to Dry Flowers

Various cultures agree on the identification of flowers with that which is attractive. The only downside to flowers is that it is not possible to keep them for long after they have been transferred to a vase of water as wilting cannot be avoided. You do not have to agonize over your cut flowers dying early if you dry them.

One can think of many occasions for drying flowers. You may want to dry most of the flowers you get from other people if you want to keep them longer. A popular time for drying flowers is spring, owing to the profusion of buds around this season.

You can air dry your flowers to preserve them. First, remove unwanted leaves from the stems before clustering them into small bunches. The blooms should be suspended from a line and let to dry, with their heads facing down.

It is important not to the hang the bunches too close to each other as good air circulation and low humidity are ideal conditions for drying. Keeping the stems in an upside-down position ensures that the stems remain straight. If you do not want a wilted bloom at the end of the process, make sure you hang your dried flowers upside-down.

The flowers need to be kept out of direct sunlight, preferably in a dark room. If you keep your dried flowers in a place where the sun can get to them, they shall end up looking washed-out in color. They also need to be kept in a warm and dry place to avoid rotting.

Wait at least two weeks before testing whether the air-dried blooms are ready yet or not. This procedure's actual length of time taken up is dependent on environmental conditions as well as how much water is in the flowers. A few occasional checks may be wise if you are worried about problems like rot or fungus cropping up.

You can go to a crafts shop and get some desiccants if you have to dry flowers that shall take too long with the air-dry technique. You may even dry flowers by pressing them between sheets of paper and pressing down on them. Most people prefer to do it the fast way, so desiccants are popular options: for those who do not mind waiting, pressing may be a viable alternative.

After your flowers have been dried properly, you can start thinking of applications for them. Wreaths, bouquets, topiaries and potpourri can be made using dried blooms. Even those who have limited time and creativity can simply place dried bunches in a decorative vase or basket, which can be used to adorn any table or wall.

Be warned that these flowers shall tend to gather dust. Make sure to give them a regular dusting using a delicate feather duster. If you have a mouse problem at home and are concerned about the rodents destroying your flowers, use mothballs to keep them away.

Drying is at least one way to preserve the beauty of flowers and what they bring to your home. You can get a lot of great decorative materials from flower drying. This craft is most often practiced by those who want to keep the memorable bouquets they have received.


If you need some help in making great valentines day flowers, I invite you to visit my blog and you'll be helped.