Preparing the Flowers

Preparing the Flowers

If you are trying to make a beautiful arrangement of dried flowers, all you need to have are fresh flowers in various colors, forms and shapes; a selection of berries, seed pods, grasses and foliage; and a knowledge of how to dry each plant item properly and efficiently. 

All flowers, unless otherwise noted, should be cut when they first come into full bloom. It is safest of course, to dry them immediately but if this is not convenient and they have been well conditioned, it will do no harm to delay dehydration for a short time.

If drying must be delayed for several days, flowers should be kept in the refrigerator. In extreme cases it will often be possible to keep them fresh for a much longer period. Immediately after cutting put the flowers in a large plastic bag and twist the end, secure it with an elastic band to be certain that it is made airtight and place the bag in the refrigerator. The flowers will then remain fresh for as long as two weeks without ever having been in water.

After removing the flowers from the refrigerator recut ends of stems diagonally and condition the flowers in warm water. This no doubt sounds fantastic but try it and see!

When gathering flowers or other plant material any distance from home, place them in a small amount of water to keep fresh in transit. Flowers with soft stems, daffodils, for instance, should be put in warm water because they cannot take much heat.

Before drying, be sure to remove, or dry thoroughly, the wet part of the stem. Also see that there is no moisture on any part of the flower. Strip all foliage from flowers that are to be dried.

What and when to collect

Collecting flowers for drying draws attention to many beauties of nature that might otherwise be overlooked. The collector should not wait till summer, but instead he/she can just go and select from springtime's earliest offerings.

The flower Garden, of course will supply choice specimens throughout the growing season. But beyond the garden gate a profusion of lovely materials for drying, can also be found in the florist shops at all seasons of the year.

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