Your roses are so beautiful that you'd like to keep them forever. Right? There are ways of preserving them that will make them last long past their usual limited life.
The several methods of preservation all start with perfect blooms. Roses (and other flowers) may be air dried, dried under weight (pressed) or preserved in a medium - typically silica gel, a sand-like chemical compound available from artist's supply and craft stores. Blooms and separate petals may also be dried in a gas oven.
Times for all methods vary, depending on the moisture content, number of blooms in the container, tightness of the bud and number of petals. Naturally, smaller flowers take less drying time.
All flowers are fragile when dried. Fully open blooms may be treated but become VERY fragile when dried. HANDLE WITH CARE. Store dried flowers in airtight containers with about a tablespoon of silica gel in the bottom. For your convenience, you may store like colors together in sealed jars or tins marked to identify the color.
Silica gel may be used over and over. There are small crystals present in the compound which turn pink as moisture is absorbed. To rejuvenate the crystals, simply spread them into a large open pan and place in a 250 degree oven for about 30 minutes. The pink crystals will turn blue, telling you that the product is ready for reuse. Cool, and store again in an airtight container.
These directions apply to other flowers as well. Single rows of petals (daisy types) become very fragile when dried and difficult to handle. White roses turn a cream or parchment color; yellowsand reds darken; but most pinks remain fairly stable. Colors which clash when fresh blend better when dried.
Individual dried blooms may be added to your potpourri for color, glued onto place cards, affixed to candles, incorporated into pictures under glass, or shown in clear plastic balls, glass boxes or shadow boxes. Remember - they will pick up moisture if not kept airtight. Their colors will become more intense, and they will be less-likely to absorb moisture, if the blooms are sprayed with a clear plastic spray or matt-finish tole spray.
For some purposes, it may be necessary to create stems and/or foliage by using floral wire and stem tape, or by gluing wire to the underside of the bloom, using a glue gun. Nosegays (or tussy mussies) or arrangements may be created this way. Other flowers may be dried and incorporated into your pictures or arrangements.
Using the conventional method (with silica gel), some other flowers with their drying times
are:
Baby's breath (3 days) air dries well
Berries (4-5 days)
Camellia (4-5 days)
Celosia (3-4 days)
Daffodil (3-4 days)
Heather (2-3 days)
Nandina foliage (2-3 days)
Rose bud, just open (5-7 days)
Open rose (3-5 days)
Rose foliage (2 days)
Spirea (3-4 days)
Most grasses and weed or seed heads air dry will if left standing in a dry location. Air-drying is effective for althea pods, straw flowers, statice, oats, pampas grass, dock, yucca pods, yarrow, pussy willow and scotch broom (from the florist's) wisteria branches and twigs. These will all keep indefinitely. Fungus (for use in camouflaging mechanics in arrangements) will keep well also.
Leaves (especially magnolia and aspidistra) may be treated by the glycerin method. Combine 1 part glycerin with 2 parts water. Pound the ends of woody stems, and let them stand in this solution for 2-4 weeks. The leaves will turn a lovely brown and keep indefinitely. To skeletonize leaves, soak the whole leaf in glycerin and wrap in foil for several months. When the leaf tissue decomposes scrape it, leaving the skeleton - the veins of the leaf. A second method is to boil the leaves 30 minutes in 1 teaspoon of soda and quart of water. After they are cool spread them on a newspaper and scrape with the back of a table knife. Soak for 1 hour in 2 tablespoons Clorox combined with 1 quart of water. Rinse, place between paper towels to dry, and press.
You will need to experiment with all these methods of preservation. Times will vary, and you will develop some techniques of your own. Handled with care, your rose blooms and other plant materials will last and last and last.
Cut flowers with 1/2" - 1" stem. Be sure that they are as dry as possible (no dew or raindrops). Stems tend to turn brown, and thorns become "thornier." Leaves may be dried separately. Wire stems may be added later.
Place a 1" layer of silica gel in bottom of container. Insert bloom, face up. Spoon gel over and around flower, using a spoon. Do not allow blooms to touch. Completely cover the blooms.
After drying use artist's brush to remove silica gel from blooms.
Silica Gel Drying
Silica Gel Drying
Gas oven drying-1500
Pressing
(Conventional)
(Microwave oven)
(with silica gel)
Use any container with a
tight-fitting lid (fruitcake tin,
coffee can, plastic
container with airtight lid).
Use microwave-safe
container
Use oven-proof container
Use bloom only; or bloom,
stem, and leaves; or petals
only.
COVER TIGHTLY
DO NOT COVER
DO NOT COVER
Place as flat as possible
between paper towels.
Leave in a dry place
Place jar with 1 Cup water
in back of oven (refill as
needed)
Heat from pilot will dry in 24
hours.
Put pad of newspapers
over and under.
Half open mini 2-3 days
Set to MEDIUM heat
Large blooms take slightly
longer than minis
Place all between 2 boards
Large rose 5-7 days
Several minis - 3 min.
The calyx has the most
moisture. Remove gel from
Weight with bricks, books,
etc.
Pour off some gel to check
Re-cover, if not dry
Large rose - 4-5 min.
USE POT HOLDER
dried petals. Leave only
peduncle covered and dry
in air.
Takes about 3 weeks
Cool completely
The calyx may mold before
the petals dry.
Check flowers
Cover, and return to
microwave if not dry
Air Drying
(Whole bloom)
Air Drying
(petals only for potpourri)
Tray Of Petals
(for potpourri)
Hang upside down in a
warm place (attic, laundry,
etc.)
Place loose petals on
screen over open box. Stir
daily to prevent mold
In gas oven (as above)
Dries in 2-4 days
Ready when crisp.
Spread loose petals onto
Produces wrinkled blooms
and leaves (not life-like).
Color is retained best dried
in a dark attic.
oven-proof container.
Insect eggs may be carried
in and hatch on flowers.
You may place petals on
top of your dryer.
USE NO SILICA GEL.
Easiest method
Takes about 12 hours