I have some flowers from my boyfriend/bestfriends funeral. I would really like to keep them forever! Ive heard about drying flowers but dont know how to do it. Also to press them. Now if I figure out how to dry them Ive heard they kinda keep their shape. Im afraid they would get torn up that way....What I think I would really like to do is press them that way I can frame them. A friend told me that pressing might be hard to do since the stems are so big. The main flower that has to be done perfect is a sunflower. My friend said that flower has a real "meaty" thick center to it and might be real hard to press. There are stargazer lilys and some others I dont know.
So please give me an idea of what I can do. Im hoping to get complete instructions if you have that or maybe tell me what your own experience is. I dont know if I could take them somewhere to have this done.? Any information would be helpful...Thank You!
What is the best way to preserve flowers?
You won't want to press those type flowers - you'd want to dry them so they keep their shape and more of their color.
I used Borax 20 Mule Team brand laundry soap to dry them in and it worked really well -you have to completely cover them in the borax and since they sound like big / thick flowers, then you would probably need a good size box and a few boxes of borax. And the flowers can't be in a bunch. Takes about a week.
here's a link to help you:
http://www.curbly.com/jcarracher/posts/8...
Reply:As the flowers dry out the become brittle and take special care in handling. Something as simple as hair spray helps keep them looking good in their natural shape. Press them between two boards with clean paper in between and weight it down. Report It
Reply:if u wanna dry ur flowers u can do d following:
remove d flowers from water, keep them outside for sometime, n then u can keep in sunlight (but not very hot sun or directly exposed to sunlight).
u can also keep them books so dat they remain their original shape but u have 2 b careful while removing them .do not touch too harshly as they may lose their petals.
after sometime even deir stems wil b dried.
Reply:I have kept several flowers from my cousins funeral and that was over 12 years ago. I just hung them upside down in my room for a while until they dried. THey kept their shape well and now they are framed in a box frame. I think I got it from somewher like Michaels or Garden Ridge Pottery.
I am sorry for your loss and wish you the best of luck with this.
Reply:well u gana have to cry on them srry jk okay put themin water and when u see thwy are geting swalin the chage water and do that and and and keep doingggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg... gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg...
Reply:Take a picture.
Reply:Cut flowers in your garden in the morning before the dew has dried, or in the early evening. With stem-cutting shears or sharp pruners, snip above a node or dormant bud to spur new blooms. Put stems in a pail of lukewarm water as you cut them.
Recut stems on a slant indoors under water to eliminate air bubbles that block uptake of food and water. Certain types of flowers (including celosia, sunflower, and zinnia) benefit from scalding the stem ends in boiling water for 20 seconds or over a candle flame to stop nutrient-rich sap from oozing. To prevent decay, remove bruised leaves and foliage below the water line.
Condition flowers several hours before arranging. Rest stems in lukewarm water in a cool, dark place so they can absorb water.
Arrange conditioned flowers in a vase of warm (110°F) water. To slow aging, place the vase in a well-ventilated cool place (as low as 38°F). Don't store flowers near unsealed fruits and vegetables, which produce ethylene, a gas that hastens ripening, or in the case of flowers, aging
Reply:Try Silica Gel! The flowers are dried by immersing each bloom in silica gel, a nontoxic, dried compound of sodium silicate and sulfuric acid that removes all moisture from the flowers without changing its natural shape. The bloom looks very similar to the original, and will not wilt, fade, or crumble provided it is not exposed to too much humidity or handling. I tried this when I received a bouquet of flowers that I wanted to last forever and now they look just as fresh as when I received them.
Reply:Methods
Hanging
Air drying or hanging is the easiest and best method for preserving flowers. As a general rule, flowers need only to have the leaves removed and to be hung upside down in a warm, dry, dark place until the moisture content is greatly reduced. An attic, closet, or pantry is often an ideal place; avoid basements, porches, or garages, where dampness may ruin specimens.
Divide the flowers into small bunches to avoid crowding or crushing. The stems of the flowers can be tied together with twine, wire, pipe cleaners, rubber bands, or anything that will hold them securely yet not break the stems. Hang the flowers from a nail driven into an attic rafter, along the wall of a closet, from coat hangers suspended from a crossbar, from a clothesline or from a self-supporting drying rack.
Air drying flowers may take from one to two weeks or more depending on the moisture content of the cut stems and relative humidity. Some flowers should be picked for air drying in the bud stage, or partially opened, as they will continue to open while drying. Others must be picked when they are fully mature.
Suggested flowers to air dry include: strawflowers, goldenrod, hydrangeas, celosia (crested and plumed types), Queen Anne's lace, statice, baby's breath, millet, globe amaranth, salvia, Xeranthemum and many of the "everlastings."
Glycerine
This chemical replaces the water in the plant material, making the preserved plant supple and long-lasting. To use this method, the plant material needs to be gathered in a fully hydrated (non-wilted) state. Use two parts of water to one part of glycerine, making sure the water is luke warm for better mixing and faster absorption. Ordinary car antifreeze will work. If the autumn colors are showing, it may be too late to preserve them in glycerine.
Where leaves only are used, they should be submerged completely in the glycerine-water solution. Where leaves attached to stems are used, then only the stems are immersed into the solution. The time required for completing the preservation process varies, but expect two to perhaps three weeks before the glycerine solution reaches the leaf tips.
If the samples appear to wilt after removal from the solution, then hang them upside down so the glycerine will migrate to leaf and branch tips. For beginners who are looking for assured first-time satisfaction, Mollucella laevis (Bells-of-Ireland) easily absorbs the glycerine solution and shows a wide color variation.
Pressing
Pressing is a very easy way to preserve flowers although the relief is lost and the flowers are flat. Unglazed paper, such as newsprint or an old telephone book, is best for pressing. Spread the flowers so they do not overlap between several thicknesses of newspaper. Additional layers of paper and flowers can be built up and then covered with a board or piece of cardboard before pressing down with a heavy object. The time required for drying, depending on the flower size or tissue content, can be anywhere from two to four weeks.
The process can be speeded by placing a stack of papers and flowers over a light bulb. Storing pressed flowers is not a problem because they usually are not removed until they are used.
Flowers to press include: aster, bleeding heart, buttercup, chrysanthemum, columbine, cosmos, dahlia, dogwood, English daisy, geranium, larkspur, lily-of-the-valley, marigold, pansy, poppy, rose, sweet pea, violet, and zinnia.
Drying Agents
Sand Drying
Sand must be very fine, clean, dry, and preferably salt free. Sifting is recommended to remove coarse grains and foreign particles. Rinsing the sand in water several times to remove any soil is also recommended. Damp sand can be dried in an oven by placing in shallow pans and baking at 250 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Be sure to use only flowers in their prime and process them quickly to prevent wilting.
To dry with sand, place an inch or two of sand in a container; scoop away a small amount of sand to form a depression on the surface; place the flower head upright in this depression and press the sand in and around the outside of the flower to support it. Next, scoop a little sand into your hand and allow it to trickle in a fine stream around each petal. Start with the outer petals and work inward row by row, allowing the sand to build up equally on all sides of each petal so its position and shape are not altered. Flowers dried with sand are fragile so be very careful when removing them from the sand. Store in a strong carton to protect the petals from breaking.
Homemade Agents
Various mixtures can be made with ingredients found in most kitchens. For example, use equal proportions of powdered pumice and yellow corn meal or equal proportions of borax and yellow corn meal. To each quart of either of the mixtures, add 3 tablespoons of salt (non-iodized). Other grain cereals such as Wheatena or Cream of Wheat can be substituted for corn meal. These mixtures are usually heavier than sand or silica gel, but they work well. Apply the mixture like the sand as described above but in an open container placed in a warm, dry location for about two weeks.
Silica Gel
Silica gel can be found in most garden centers, nurseries, florist, or hobby shops. It absorbs moisture from flowers rapidly, thus preserving flower color better than other drying methods. Most flowers will dry in 36 to 48 hours.
Use silica gel in an airtight container or it will absorb moisture from the air, not from the flower tissues. You can redry the silica gel in a warm oven (not in a microwave) and reuse it for other flowers later. Winifrede Morrison's book Drying %26amp; Preserving Flowers gives details on the use of silica gel. Flowers that dry well in either borax or silica gel include: rose, aster, carnation, marigold, dahlia, larkspur, geranium, zinnia, chrysanthemum and delphinium.
One word of caution when using the homemade agents or silica gel: the flowers will sometimes reabsorb moisture and wilt. For best success with flowers dried in an agent, display your flowers in a closed container to keep out dust and high humidity.
Microwave Drying
Drying flowers in a microwave oven is becoming popular with some homeowners. Since flowers vary in moisture content, texture and density, care should be taken to use the same sized flowers from one species at a time.
Since research data is unavailable and experience is limited at this time, homeowners are advised to use caution in microwave drying techniques.
This is a silica gel flower drying method. It has been found that many flowers held almost true to life color and form using this process.
Brightly colored flowers dry best. Flowers such as lilies, roses, violets, zinnias, and dahlias work well with this process.
Needed are silica gel, a container safe for the microwave, and fresh flowers. Spent flowers will look spent, and fall apart!
The following is part of a chart from the cookbook Introduction to Touchmatic Cooking with the Amana Radarange:
--------------------------------------...
Minimum Amount
Flower* Heating Time** of Standing Time
--------------------------------------...
Carnation 2-1/2 to 3 min. This is the area
where I depart from
my cookbook's
instructions.
Daffodil 1-1/2 to 2 min.
Pansy -
1st drying 45 sec.
2nd drying 1-1/2 min.
Rose 1-1/2 min.
Sunflower 1-3/4 min.
Violet 1-1/2 to 2 min.
Zinnia 2 to 2-1/2 min.
--------------------------------------...
* If the flower you are drying is not on the list,
select one that is near to it in size and form.
**Heating time is on full power.
Method
Partially fill a container with silica gel, place flower in container stem side down. Slowly sift the silica gel around the flower until it is covered.
Place the container in the oven. Place 1 cup of water in the rear left corner of the Radarange. Heat on full power. Check the chart for time. Large flowers take longer heating times.
Important! After heating, the flower must stand in the silica gel until the silica gel is cool. This takes much longer than the instructions given in the cookbook. Not letting the flower stand long enough may be the reason many people experience failures. Don't try to remove any flower for two hours; generally from four to six hours is needed. If the flower is removed too soon it will be warm and limp, and will not be able to hold its form.
The following is a list of other flowers and times that are suggested:
Verbena (four flowers) . . . 75 sec.
Miniature rose (three flowers) . . . 70 sec.
Dahlia (3") 1� . . . 2 min.
Keep a notebook of each container of flowers you "cook." You will soon discover the best times for your favorite flowers, and you won't have to rediscover this next summer.
Your flowers should be sprayed with a clear matt finish to keep them from rehydrating.
Reply:putting an aspirin in the waterand trimming tips off stems at an angle hhelp them live longer.i took whole flowers along with petals from the flowers at my dads funeral,dried them and put them all in a pretty glass bowl with wire frame from flowers i received for the service and put all the dried whole flowers and petals and mixed in the bowl.its been almost 6 yrs and i still have them.some of the lowers stillhave there color to.i just laid them out and let them dry.takes several days but it works.sorry for your loss.
Reply:If you really want to keep them (and I have no idea why anyone would) and don't mind spending a little money, you can have them freeze dried and encased in clear acrylic plastic. They will last forever.
Reply:spray it with air freshner, thats how i keep my roses a few days longer.
Reply:freze them
Reply:its very simple do not be worry about !!
use some salt on the flower and preserve them
Reply:You could cast them into acrylic resin, of course you would get like a block but you could keep the original shape and they can last for an incredible amount of years.
Reply:Cut the flowers before the sunrise and keep the stems covered in a polythene bag.
Reply:let them dry out and spray them with hairspray, and wrap them in plastic wrap
Reply:First you need to find a color photo copier and make a copy of them. That way you can have them as wall art long after they wilt.
Then... you can hang them upside down and spray them with hair spray generously. That will keep them looking good for years to come.
Reply:My daughter and I press mostly petals and leaves, but I'm pretty sure it is the same--or a similar--process. I press rose petals from bouquets I receive. I have only ever pressed one whole rose, and that was years ago.
We gather:
paper towels and tissue (toilet paper or facial tissue are better for small things)
several big, heavy books (like a dictionary, or encyclopedia) -- for your project, at least a half dozen or more (or you can use pieces of scrap wood large enough to cover your flower, and some bricks)
Place 2-3 paper towels on your firm surface (book, board, etc.
Lay your flower out the way you want it to look.
Place 2-3 more paper towels on top of the flower, topped by another book. Put several more books on top (for the sunflower, you might want to use bricks to weigh down the book on top of the flower).
Then prepare to be patient, the drying process takes some time. Afer about a month, your flower should be ready for display or for placing in your favorite book or album.
You can press other flowers at the same time, by placing each 'flower/paper towels set' between books in the same stack.
I hope I haven't confused you. Our projects turn out beautifully.
I hope yours does too.
I also hope I helped. God bless you.
Reply:I wouldn't suggest pressing them. What I do with flowers is find a place in your house that isn't too disturbed and find a way to hang them upside down there. We have several flowers, bouquets, and corsages from several years ago still intact and quite lovely. Hope this helped. ^_^
Reply:Saving flowers is really simple. You can spray them with hairspray and hang them upside down our put wax paper in a thick book and put the flower inside. They may be brittle but it works, hairspray is usually the best.
Reply:use good potting soil and good plant food my opion? works...
Reply:tie the stems together and hang them upside down (flower part should point to the floor) in a dry nonhumid room. A dark closet works well. That is how i dry and preserve all my roses, carnations and baby's breath. it does take awhile (3 to 4 weeks). i have found that drying them this way they keep a better color too.
Reply:Hang them upside down to dry.
Reply:It would be nice to frame it up but i think you would have to dry it first. also, if you don't want to destroy your flowers ask someone to preserve them for you of maybe you could experiment first on other flowers before you actually do yours...but maybe by that time it wouldn't be in good state, so keep that flower in good nutritous water while trying on different flowers.
Reply:You have gotten so many answers already, and I don't even know if you will even see my answer but here it is.
A friend of mine preserved some of her flowers by using an over the counter emollient called Glycerin. She mixed in the water (I don't remember the ratio of water to glycerin) and kept adding to it over several weeks, until the flowers were dried. Oh yeah, before she did that, she slid flower wire into each stem to keep them straight while they soaked in the mixture. I'm sure if a web search is done, you might find this recipe somewhere.
MY best way to preserve flowers is in my Mind's Eye!
PS. I also remember that she said the mixture acts almost like an embalming fluid. I only wish I knew the ratio for you.
Reply:freeze them.
Reply:My husband and I lost a baby girl last Summer and I took the roses from the flowers for her funeral and hung them upside down in the closet for 3-4 days. I used a metal hanger and wire to attach them. Don't let the flowers touch each other or it could take longer to dry.
Reply:To dry the flowers - turn the flowers up-side down as high as you can place them in a dry warm room - tie them loosely with a ribbon or anything else that won't damage the stems... it will take several days-depending on the size and thickness of the flower i.e. the sun-flower is thick so be patient. Once totally dry you can spray them with a clear acrylic spray that does not change color with age ....You can get that in "craft" stores or even at paint stores...Good luck
N
Reply:Get a large square plastic container with an air tight lid .
Pour 2 to 3 inches of Borax in the container , evenly .
Cut flowers stems to 1 to 2 inches .
Insert stem into Borax,
Tighten and secure lid on container . Leave on for 1 week .
Flowers will be preserved naturally and your ready or your handcrafts !
Reply:I have heard from many people, that the vitamins and monerals in Gatorade help stimulate flowers and keep them alive longer, and it actually works!
Hope this helps!
Reply:Put them in the freezer.
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