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DRYING AND PROCESSING TECHNIQUES FOR FLOWERS
Fall is a common time for collecting plants to be used in
dry arrangements. For beautiful cut flower arrangements, it
is recommended to flowers just before they are at their
fully opened stage, not after they have begun to fade. The
flower surfaces should be as dry as possible to prevent mold
and mildew; collecting on a sunny day should prevent wet
flower surfaces. Roadsides, abandoned fields, woods, etc.
are wonderful places to collect those materials which have
dried naturally.
If the flowers cannot be processed immediately after
cutting, put them in water for no longer than 24 hours as
water taken up through the stem will do no harm but surface
moisture will cause damage. However, some flowers, such as
the ageratum and yarrow, will hold their color better if
allowed to stay in water for several hours. Process more
material than needed to allow for loss and shrinkage.
Flowers should be dried in a moisture-absorbing material,
such as sand, borax, or silica gel and must often be wired
after drying by these methods. Using a microwave oven is
possible, but involves much trial and error in developing
satisfactory procedures for various flowers. When using a
microwave for drying purposes, use a desiccant such as
silica gel to support the flowers in a glass or
microwave-safe container. Do not cover the container, and
always place a cup of water in the oven before beginning to
prevent excess drying. Drying times vary, and a standing
period following drying is necessary to complete drying and
allow for cooling.
When using the upside down method of drying, prepare the
place where flowers are to hang. Since they must be dried
quickly, a dim attic with good air circulation is ideal.
Most basements are too damp, and closests have too little
air circulation. To prepare the area, string wires or cords
in parallel lines, about six inches apart. All foliage
should then be stripped from the flower stems and the
smaller flowers tied in bunches with differing stem lengths,
so that the flower heads do not touch each other. Large
flowers should be tied individually. The bunches and
individual flowers should then be fastened to the strung
lines, far enough apart so they do not touch. They are
then left from two to three weeks--most flowers will dry in
this length of time. When they are thoroughly dry, flowers
may be packed in boxes according to size: heavy materials in
one box, delicate flowers in other boxes and labeled
carefully.
Some flowers that dry easily upside down are:
(NOTE: Those starred should be stood upright in a jar).
Astilbe Everlastings Mullein
*Baby's-Breath False Indigo Okra
Beebalm Gaillardia Onion
Blue Thimble Flower Globe Amaranth Plume Grass
Butterfly Weed Globe Thistle Plume Poppy
Calendula Goldenrod Queen Ann's
Castor Bean Pods Honesty Lace
Cattail Ironweed Sage
Chinese Lantern Joe Pye Weed *Statice
Chives Larkspur (Annual) Straw Flowers
Cockscomb Lavender Sweet Sultan
Dock--pink, green, Lemon Verbena Tansy
brown Marigold Thermopsis
Dusty Miller Meadow-Rue Yarrow
Another method of drying is the sand or Borax method.
Flowers that cannot be dried upside-down can be preserved by
burial in sand or borax. Although clean, sharp, shore sand
is best, sand used by building contractors is nearly as
good. If using Borax, it must be noted that Borax MAY leave
a slight film that is difficult to remove from the
delicate-textured flowers. If Borax is indeed used, make
sure it is not lumpy--sifting may be necessary.
Sand must be clean and dry, as damp sand will spot and spoil
the flowers. It is recommended to use an ordinary cardboard
carton large enough to hold several flowers. Put several
thicknesses of newspaper in the bottom will provide
additional strength. Pour in the sand to a depth of about
four inches. Flowers should be stripped of all foliage and
stems cut to the desired length. Short stems can be
lengthened later with wire. The flowers should stand
upside down, their heads placed so they do not touch each
other, then pour sand gently over them. When the large
flowers are partially covered, the spaces in between can be
used for smaller flowers. Continue to pour on sand until
the flowers are buried, however, it is not necessary to
completely cover the stems, as most stems dry fairly easily
in air. Be sure there is sand between each petal and in the
trumpets of flowers like the daffodil and lily. If the
flower is spike-shaped (like the coral-bells or
bleeding-heart) or pyramidal (like the lilac), lay them
lengthwise in the box and cover them gently with sand. When
the flowers are thoroughly dried, brush off the sand with a
soft brush or tissue, and pack them in boxes. Each box
should be labeled with the flower names it contains and
store them in a cool dark place for at least two weeks. If
borax is used, be sure it is not lumpy--it may be necessary
to sift it.
Flowers that dry well in sand or borax are:
Asters Cornflower Loosestrife
Balloon-Flower Cosmos Liatris
Balsam Daffodils Lupine
Bleeding-Heart Dahlias Painted Daisy
Butterfly Bush Delphinium Pansies
Candytuft Dandelion Peony
Canterbury Bells Day-Lily Rose
Carnations (Pinks) Geranium Shasta Daisy
Chrysanthemum Gladiolus Stock
Coleus Leaves Gloriosa Daisy Snapdragons
Columbine Iris Tulip
Coneflower Lilac Zinnias
Coral-Bells Lily
Coreopsis Lily-of-the-Valley
One product for drying flowers is silica gel, or FLOWER-DRI.
The method for using it is very similar to the sand and
borax method and silica gel can be purchased at florist
shops. After drying flowers, any moisture can be removed
from the silica gel by heating it in an oven at 250 degrees
F.
To dry flowers in silica gel, place flowers face-up in about
two inches of silica gel in a shallow, covered pan.
Sprinkle more of silica gel over the flowers until they are
covered, making sure the silica gel is worked in around the
flower parts. Flowers should be stored for one week in a
covered container sealed with masking tape. After one week,
carefully remove the dried flowers and blow or brush away
adhering particles of silica gel.
Glycerin cannot be used successfully with in drying flowers,
but it can be used for most foliages.
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