Ways to Preserve Flowers by Pressing and Drying

Date: 2010-02-08 18:11:35

By Dee Power

Flowers may be preserved in several ways including freeze drying, air drying and pressing. Most gardeners don't have the equipment necessary for freeze drying. However drying and pressing flowers are well within their capability. There is no special equipment needed. As with any flower project use the freshest flowers possible.

Process
Both drying and pressing flowers remove the moisture from the flower. Pressing does so by putting the flowers between sheets of white paper and then in a flower press or by weighing the flowers down by putting them inside a heavy book, such as a phone book, with additional books on top for more weight.

Drying flowers is simpler. The leaves are removed from the stems of the flower. The flowers are then bunched. A rubber band holds the stems together. String doesn't work because as the stems lose moisture they shrink and the string becomes loose. The flowers are then hung upside down so the stems stay straight and the blossoms don't flop over.

Differences
Both methods end up with flowers that are preserved and about one fourth their original size. Pressed flowers shrink in size in depth. The petals are flattened and nearly the same size as the fresh flower but they are paper thin. Dried flowers shrink overall. Dried flowers are sturdier than pressed.

Similarities
Large flowers take longer to dry or press than small flowers. Fleshy leaved flowers such as orchids and lilies don't dry or press well. Red flowers dry and press to black. Yellow dries and presses to a beige color. Whether dried or pressed, eventually the colors fade when exposed to light. Both are fragile. Both should be protected from humidity.

Usage
Pressed flowers may be used where a one dimensional effect is desired such as on a photo mat, handmade stationary, or between sheets of glass. Dried flowers may be arranged much like fresh flowers are.


Author

More Gardening Tips Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books. She writes on the subject of business and how to get out of debt nowDistributed by http://www.ContentCrooner.com. This articles came from MoreArticles.net.


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