How to Preserve Flowers

Enthusiasm for preserved flowers also look at, South African BBQ chicken and veg has come in waves throughout the centuries; each time adding a new technique, improvements also see, Running Stitch and new ideas. So that today we can choose from tried and tested ancient techniques e.g. air-drying or modern methods e.g. microwaving.

Preparing your Flower

- Pick your flowers look at, Doll House Lighting when they are freshest
- But pick when dew has dried and they are thoroughly dry

Pressing the Flowers

This is an easy, favourite and one of the oldest ways to preserve flowers. have a look at, How to Optimize a Website for Google's Mobile-first Indexing Most flowers checkout, Doll Making Websites are suitable for pressing; the ones that don't come out so well are flowers why not visit, Running Stitch with large round flower , Free Calligraphy heads or round middles that won't flatten down easily such as large roses, why not visit, Sugar free Ginger Muffins or Waratahs, or fleshy leaves (e.g. succulents) that tend to squash or ooze out.

- Press flowers have a look at, Robots when there is no moisture why not visit, How to Optimize a Website for Google's Mobile-first Indexing on them. Cut & press your flowers checkout, RC Vehicle & leaves when the weather try, Touch Enamelling in Jewellery Making is dry because water also look at, How to make a Kite can get trapped in the flowers have a look at, Free Calligraphy which can turn them mouldy when you press them.
- Your flowers also look at, Wahan Mosdeng or Chilli Pork may turn brown if they don't dry quickly enough.
- To keep more of flower's original colour also look at, English Calligraphy change the blotting paper (or newspaper, or sheets of paper) every couple of days to help flower also look at, Top Reasons Why Labour Hire Is Risky And Beneficial For Your Construction dry quicker.
- Before placing your flower consider, Cheap Display Cases for pressing; take a moment to imagine how it will look when it's flattened, and arrange it nicely e.g. you may like to avoid parts overlapping.
- With some flowers why not visit, RC Vehicle e.g. daffodils it can help to cut them in half and open them out before pressing.
- You can also dry petals singly and then reassemble them when they're dried.
- Thick flowers try, RC Stadium Trucks like Chrysanthemums need to have their calyx (bottom of the flower) thinned before pressing, but don't cut off too much or the flower checkout, DIY Bathroom Drain will disintegrate.

We already told you in our introductory article how to have a look at, Fraternal Organization Collectibles press flowers checkout, How to make a Kite using heavy books. You can press several pages of flowers consider, Doll House Lighting at a time; just make sure that you leave at least 1/8" of pages between pressings. Another good way is to make or buy a flower , Souvenir Patch Collectibles press. A good botanical flower , Digital Photography Focus press can aid air consider, Brewing Wine at Home circulation and give good results.

Advantage: your part of the process is quick & easy to do - then you just wait for the flowers also see, Doll House Lighting to dry out.
Disadvantage: flowers try, Calligraphy can lose their colour, , Digital Photography Focus some species become brittle and can easily break. Have to wait 2-3 weeks for flowers have a look at, Houseboat Building to totally dry out.

Air Drying Flowers

Make sure you pick flowers checkout, Stained Glass when they are really dry. A good time maybe mid-morning after the dew has dried but before the flowers look at, How to make a Kite may wilt in midday sun. look at, RC Tank Accessories Remove excess leaves from the stems, (unless you want to dry them as well).

Divide them into small bunches and tie with elastic band. Hang upside down in a warm, airy place also look at, Freeroll Poker out of direct sunlight - preferably dark, or low light why not visit, Doll House ing because sunlight bleaches the colours. consider, South African BBQ chicken and veg Make sure there is ventilation or the flowers have a look at, Doll House Lighting may go mouldy. Most flowers why not visit, Turbine RC Models need about 2 weeks to dry out.

Some flowers also look at, Calligraphy e.g. hydrangeas need a slightly different way - though it may sound strange! Put the stems in a vase with a little water also look at, Knitting Patterns (about an inch). When the flowers , How to Optimize a Website for Google's Mobile-first Indexing have used up all the water, look at, RC Vehicle the flower also see, Knitting Patterns heads will actually have dried out successfully.

Advantage: one of the easiest techniques. Works well with flowers why not visit, Sugar free Ginger Muffins called 'everlasting' or 'immortelles'.
Disadvantage: flowers checkout, Knitting Patterns can go mouldy if you're not careful

Waxing

Is more often used for foliage than flowers. look at, Types of RC Robots Waxing can be done on fresh flowers also see, Digital Photography Focus or leaves, or dried, or partially dry. But don't try to press your materials after waxing.

Method: Melt some paraffin wax. (some people put a little mineral oil into their wax to thin it out a bit). Plunge each individual flower have a look at, How to make a Kite or leaf into the wax. Remove and shake off excess. Put in fridge to set and harden.

Advantage: simple and quick.
Disadvantage: can be bit more tricky waxing flowers

Glycerine

Sometimes it helps to use a small amount of glycerine before pressing - this works well on foliage. Some people experiment with mixing it with a little water look at, Barbie Doll House of alcohol. Spray it on and let it dry to the touch before you press.

Glycerine is a natural , How to make a Kite preservative and can be derived from animal fats, vegetable have a look at, Gerbils origin, or made synthetically. It's a clear, sticky, gel-liquid that tastes sweet & is often used, for example, in confectionary or moisturisers. You'll find it in the cake-making section of a supermarket, in a pharmacy or craft try, RC Caterpillar shop.

Advantage: foliage & leaves stay soft & pliable. Flowers try, Barbie Doll House can be painted, or wiped clean. Lasts indefinitely.
Disadvantage: - glycerine does not preserve the green colour consider, RC Helicopter Glow Engines of foliage; leaves turn brown, black or gold

Microwaving Flowers

This is a very modern technique to preserve flowers look at, Digital Photography Training and is very quick - though it's not a favourite choice for everyone. You can use it on most types of flowers try, RC Flying but not those with thick fleshy leaves as they contain too much water. why not visit, Stained Glass

ONLY use a non-metallic container to put your flowers have a look at, Animals in, and never have any wire or metal , RC Watercrafts around the flowers. why not visit, Digital Photography Focus You will need to experiment to get the right setting and timing for your particular microwave. So start off with the low settings, and only for a few seconds at a time. Some people use silica gel for better results.

Advantage: Is extremely quick - instead of waiting days or weeks process is finished in minutes.
Disadvantage: Does not work well with plants , Sugar free Ginger Muffins that have thick or fleshy leaves.

Another very successful way to preserve flowers checkout, Gerbils is using Desiccants - see our separate article.