Monday, February 27, 2012

The Many Ways to Dry Flowers

Flowers are symbolic of beauty and inspiration to many. All flowers have to droop and lose their beauty after being harvested, unfortunately. 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. Most people do dried flowers after getting a lot of blooms as presents. You may want to time your flower drying before summer, so that you can make the most of more wild blooms, as many people do.

The simplest method of floral preservation is by air drying. Most people remove leaves and small shoots from the stems prior to bunching up several flowers to be dried. Upside-down is the best way to go when hanging air-dry flowers, and you may secure them with whatever you think best, from a piece of line to a simple bit of rope.

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. A good way of maintaining the uprightness of flower stems is to hang them with the flowers pointing downwards. Hanging the bunches upright will result to the stems bending over and looking wilted.

If you have a shadowy, dry space in your home, this is the best place for drying flowers. 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. You may have to contend with rot if you permit damp to get into the space where you dry blooms.

If you do settle on the simplest method, you shall need a month or so. How long to wait before harvest depends on various factors, from the type of flower to the dryness of the area. The chances of complication are few if you follow procedures to the letter, but it would be best to keep an eye on the blooms.

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. 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.

There are a variety of uses for dried flowers once they are collected. For certain occasions, for instance, you can make a seasonal or special wreath with them. 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.

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 have a mouse problem at home and are concerned about the rodents destroying your flowers, use mothballs to keep them away.

The art of drying makes it possible to enjoy the colors and vibe of summer and spring all year round. You can get a lot of great decorative materials from flower drying. This process is also a smart answer to the problem of holding on to otherwise transient presents from loved ones.


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