How to Preserve Flowers

Enthusiasm for preserved flowers consider, RC Power Planes has come in waves throughout the centuries; each time adding a new technique, improvements why not visit, Porcelain and Glass Collectibles 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 have a look at, Green Home Improvement 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. , Photo Collages Most flowers , Contact us at hobby.net.au are suitable for pressing; the ones that don't come out so well are flowers why not visit, Mercedes Diecast with large round flower , RC Speed Boats heads or round middles that won't flatten down easily such as large roses, consider, RC Power Planes or Waratahs, or fleshy leaves (e.g. succulents) that tend to squash or ooze out.

- Press flowers , Collectible Buttons when there is no moisture look at, Racing Diecast Models on them. Cut & press your flowers have a look at, Home Improvement Mortgage & leaves when the weather also see, Hawaii Beach Weddings – Dream Weddings Hawaii is dry because water , Indian Cuisine can get trapped in the flowers also look at, Collectible Buttons which can turn them mouldy when you press them.
- Your flowers try, Collectible Spoons may turn brown if they don't dry quickly enough.
- To keep more of flower's original colour consider, Hawaii Beach Weddings – Dream Weddings Hawaii change the blotting paper (or newspaper, or sheets of paper) every couple of days to help flower have a look at, Wood Carving Styles & Patterns dry quicker.
- Before placing your flower why not visit, Digital Photography Composition 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 consider, Primitive Antiques 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 , Canoeing 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, Hobby Display Cases will disintegrate.

We already told you in our introductory article how to try, Kyosho RC Models press flowers consider, RC Speed Boats using heavy books. You can press several pages of flowers have a look at, Hawaii Beach Weddings – Dream Weddings Hawaii 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 look at, Hobby Display Cases press. A good botanical flower why not visit, Collectible Classic Motorcycles press can aid air have a look at, Cape Malay recipe for chilli bites circulation and give good results.

Advantage: your part of the process is quick & easy to do - then you just wait for the flowers have a look at, RC used Gas Cars to dry out.
Disadvantage: flowers also see, Hapkido can lose their colour, look at, Sculpting Moulds some species become brittle and can easily break. Have to wait 2-3 weeks for flowers also see, Old Robot Toys to totally dry out.

Air Drying Flowers

Make sure you pick flowers checkout, Canoeing when they are really dry. A good time maybe mid-morning after the dew has dried but before the flowers try, Sculpting Moulds may wilt in midday sun. consider, Where Can You Find the Best IT Assignment Helper? 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 consider, Tea Tree Oil out of direct sunlight - preferably dark, or low light try, RC Fighter Jets because sunlight bleaches the colours. consider, Where Can You Find the Best IT Assignment Helper? Make sure there is ventilation or the flowers look at, Scripophily - Collectible Stock Certificates may go mouldy. Most flowers try, RC Jets need about 2 weeks to dry out.

Some flowers why not visit, Green Home Improvement e.g. hydrangeas need a slightly different way - though it may sound strange! Put the stems in a vase with a little water have a look at, Canoeing (about an inch). When the flowers have a look at, Wood Carving Styles & Patterns have used up all the water, look at, Digital Photography Online the flower have a look at, Home Improvement Mortgage heads will actually have dried out successfully.

Advantage: one of the easiest techniques. Works well with flowers consider, Carpet Cleaning Capalaba called 'everlasting' or 'immortelles'.
Disadvantage: flowers consider, Home Improvement DVD can go mouldy if you're not careful

Waxing

Is more often used for foliage than flowers. also see, Blacksmith Forge Waxing can be done on fresh flowers also see, Canoeing 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 , Collectible Classic Motorcycles 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 , Home Improvement DVD of alcohol. Spray it on and let it dry to the touch before you press.

Glycerine is a natural , Jewellery or Jewelry Making preservative and can be derived from animal fats, vegetable look at, Photo Collages 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 have a look at, Mercedes Diecast shop.

Advantage: foliage & leaves stay soft & pliable. Flowers consider, DIY Toilet Fixes can be painted, or wiped clean. Lasts indefinitely.
Disadvantage: - glycerine does not preserve the green colour look at, RC Power Planes of foliage; leaves turn brown, black or gold

Microwaving Flowers

This is a very modern technique to preserve flowers have a look at, Indian Cuisine and is very quick - though it's not a favourite choice for everyone. You can use it on most types of flowers why not visit, Breaking in Fuel-Powered RC Jeeps but not those with thick fleshy leaves as they contain too much water. consider, Photo Collages

ONLY use a non-metallic container to put your flowers try, Diecast Jaguar Model in, and never have any wire or metal , Carpet Cleaning Capalaba around the flowers. try, Kyosho RC Models 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 have a look at, Breaking in Fuel-Powered RC Jeeps that have thick or fleshy leaves.

Another very successful way to preserve flowers look at, Jewellery or Jewelry Making is using Desiccants - see our separate article.