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Index : Flowers - Perennials
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- 21. Techniques to Dry And Preserve Flowers - Top
- April is a beautiful month here in the desert. Color abounds with the blooming of palo verde, acacia, penstemon, hedgehog cacti and others. Roses and many garden flowers are also at their peak. It's easy to preserve these and other flowers to make beautiful indoor arrangements that can be enjoyed for months, even years to come!
Fresh flowers and other plant parts can be dried by one of several methods. They include; air drying, the use of drying agents, or microwave drying. Whichever method is used, the principle of drying flowers or leaves is the same: to remove moisture slowly while maintaining as much of the original shape, color and texture as possible.
Air drying is the simplest method used to dry leaves and flowers. It takes little time and skill and nearly always produces satisfactory results. All flowers or stems that are semi-dry and that do not wilt rapidly can be used. Tie stems into loose bunches with rubber bands or twist ties and hang upside down in a cool, dry, well-ventilated room. Flowers usually take several days up to one week to dry, depending on the thickness of the stems and foliage. The more fleshy the flowers or foliage, the more time is required to dry.
Flowers that wilt quickly must be dried in a supportive substance to preserve their form. There are several methods that can be used for this.
Dry, fine sand is one of the oldest materials used for drying, but still one of the best. The major problems with sand are that it is heavy and sometimes bruises delicate petals, and it is slow-acting in comparison to other drying agents. A mixture of 2 parts borax to 1 part sand may be used, adding one tablespoon of salt to each quart to speed drying.
Borax is another desiccant that can be used for drying flowers. It is relatively inexpensive to buy, but should be used with caution, because of it's capacity to cause eye and skin irritation with prolonged use. Pure borax may be used for rapid drying, but there is a danger of burning or bleaching the flower parts, especially with delicate flowers. For a milder drying agent, borax can be mixed with either white or yellow cornmeal. A mixture of one part borax to one part cornmeal is satisfactory for rapid drying. A mixture of one part borax and up to three parts cornmeal should suffice for slower drying. Slower drying is recommended for delicate flowers.
Borax and borax mixtures can be reused, but the they must first be dried out. To do this, spread the material in a shallow pan and place in a warm oven, at 275 degrees, stirring occasionally, until it feels dry. Store in a air-tight container between uses.
Silica gel is a blue crystal with a high water-absorbing capacity. It is an expensive desiccant, but can be used indefinitely. It's worth the investment for those who continually collect and dry plant materials. Silica gel may be purchased at hobby and craft shops, from florists, garden supply stores, or from chemical supply sources. Flowers dried in silica gel retain good color.
To use any of these drying materials, a container is needed to hold the desiccant and flowers. Choose containers of an appropriate size, large enough to hold the flowers without leaving too much excess space. Spiky flowers like salvia or iris will require an elongated container such as a florist box. Dome shaped flowers, such as roses, will fit into almost any container. Silica gel requires an airtight container such as afood storage container or even a plastic bag.
Place one-half to one inch of the drying agent in the bottom of the container. Place the first layer of flowers on top. Flat-faced flowers such as daisies may be placed face down; all others face up. Be sure flowers are spread out so they do not touch. Slowly pour the drying agent around and into the flowers, taking care to preserve the petals in their natural form as you go. Cover with a layer of desiccant one-half to one inch deep and position a second layer of flowers on top and repeat the process. Cover the container.
Drying is complete when flowers are crisp and dry to the touch, but not brittle. The stems are the slowest to dry. If only the petals are completely dry, the flowers may be removed and the drying process completed by the air drying method.
Microwaves can also be used to dry flowers. It is a process that takes only a few minutes and provides material that looks fresher and more colorful than that obtained by other methods. To retain form, flowers must be placed in a supportive substance before placing in the microwave oven. Silica gel is the material of choice, but borax mixtures and expanded clay cat litter also works well. Use only glass, paper, or special microwave containers to hold the flowers and desiccant. Do not cover the container. Always place a small cup of water in the oven before cooking to prevent excessive drying. Experiment with the cooking time, but in general it should be in a range of 90 seconds and 3 minutes, depending on the substance of the flower.
After cooking, leave the flower in the drying material for a period of 10 to 36 hours, again depending on the flower type. Experiment with a single flower first to determine the optimum times.
There are many uses for dried flowers. They can be used to enhance vases, baskets, plaques , shadow boxes and fresh flower arrangements. They also may be used as wall decorations, in wreaths, or as decorations on gift boxes. Experiment with plant materials and methods to find the drying process that works best for your situation.
The topic of this week's garden demonstration will be: Flowers for Spring and Summer Color. It will be presented at the Pima County Extension Center, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday and repeated that afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Wilmot Library. These programs are free and open to the general public. The Extension Center is located at 4210 N. Campbell Avenue. Answers to gardening questions may be obtained by phoning the Extension Center Plant Clinic, weekdays for 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 626-5161. Green Valley residents my phone 648-0808, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for answers to gardening questions.
- Updated: April 23, 2000
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