|
There
are a number of different methods of drying flowers and foliage,
and one of them is method with silica gel. The use of silica gel in
preserving
flowers takes a little more patience, but the results are exhilarating.
Some flowers are not really suitable for air drying, but you could dry
them using a drying agent. The types of flowers that require silica gel
for best preservation are listed below:
Ajuga,
Anemones, Azaleas, Daisies, Dogwood, Freesia, Grape Hyacinths, Lily of
the Valle, Marigolds, Mimosa, Orchids, Pansies, Passion flowers,
Peonies,
Primroses, Queen Anne's lace, Roses, Snapdragons, Stokesias, Zinnias.
Daffodils,
Crocuses, Irises and Tulips are tricky because they are rather freshly
and contain too much water, but you could experiment by drying them
carefully.
All of these flowers have fleshy stems and very delicate petals and the
trick is to dehydrate the blooms rapidly enough to preserve both their
vibrant, natural colors and their intricate shapes. Silica gel has been
used commercially for many years.
|
There
are two types of silica gel:
- One
has a built-in color indicator, bright blue crystals of cobalt chloride
which act as moisture indicators. As the silica gel begins to absorb
moisture
from the flowers embedded in it, the cobalt chloride crystals will
indicate
this by turning light blue and then pink. When the silica gel has
absorbed
up to 40 % of its own weight in moisture, it will no longer be
effective
in removing moisture from flowers. At this point, the cobalt chloride
crystals
will indicate this state of super saturation by turning white. The
silica
gel must then be reactivated before it can be successfully used
again.
- The
other type of crystal is white.
Both
types are made up of large crystals which must be ground down. The
silica
gel that is manufactured expressly for use in preserving flowers is a
sandy-type
agent, almost powdery in texture. Silica gel can be bought from most
hardware
stores, garden centers, chemists, hobby or craft stores. They sell
silica
gel under various brand names and packages (Flower-Dri, Hazel Pearson
etc.),
and the best is to shop around to find good brand and suitable
price.
To
remove the moisture from silica gel and turn the crystals back to blue,
put the silica gel in an old but clean and dry shallow, oven-proof dish
(such as a lasagna casserole) and putting the dish in the oven at
250°F
- for half an hour or until the cobalt chloride crystals return to
their
original bright blue color. At this point, the silica gel is ready to
be
used again or to be stored in airtight containers for cooling until
needed.
As silica gel will absorb moisture from the air as well as from flowers
buried in it, it is best to keep it covered at all times.
Silica
gel is not toxic, but remember never use silica gel containers or
dishes
for preparing food after you use them for drying flowers or for drying
silica gel, because they often absorbs pesticides from plants as they
dry.
To
dry flowers and foliage with silica gel it is necessary to pick them
when
they have just opened and in perfect shape. All plants going into the
desiccant
must be perfect, any flaws will be accentuated and look ugly.
It
is imperative that the flowers be absolutely dry. If dew or some other
moisture is on the petals at the time you cover the flower with silica
gel, the silica gel will stick to the petals. In trying to remove the
silica
gel once the flower is dried, you may
ruin
the entire flower.
Silica
gel requires no hit while drying, unlike other methods.
NOTE: It
is very important to use airtight containers for drying with silica gel
because it will readily absorb moisture from the air.
Unless
the flowers are to be used for gluing, the flower steams should be
trimmed
to 1" to about 1 1/2" (2,5cm to 3,8 cm).
It
is advisable to wire the stems before placing them in the silica gel as
they do tend to be more fragile afterwards. Wiring creates a strong
stem
of any length that can be inserted into a floral foam base and is much
more flexible than natural stems.
The
short, bent wire what you use before drying can be lather straightened
and extended with a florist's wire (22 or 24 gauge) so the flower can
safely
be used in arrangements.
Since
the flowers you will be drying will have retained varying amounts of
water
while growing, it is impossible to come up with a, specific formula of
drying periods. Much depends, however, upon the type of flower you are
drying, the size of the bloom, how much moisture it contains, and other
variables.
Putting
a Styrofoam layer in the bottom of the container (before you pour the
layer
of silica gel) is very handy for holding the wires of dried flowers,
especially
if you have large container and more flowers in same container.
Pour
into an adequately large airtight container an inch (2,5 cm) of dry
silica
gel on the bottom. If the container will hold six flowers with a 3-inch
space between each, place a teaspoon of silica gel where each of the
six
flowers will be placed to dry. These little mounds of silica gel will
support
the flowers so that they will not dry flat. Place one flower, face
down,
over each mound. Using a tablespoon, spoon the silica gel against the
side
of the container, away from the flowers, so that it slides down the
side
of the container and under each petal of each flower without causing
undue
weight on the flower. Continue pouring the gel against the container's
sides until the flowers are totally covered.
When
placing several flowers in the same container for drying at the same
time,
be sure to separate them well, so that moisture does not seep from one
flower to another. When the flowers are completely covered with silica
gel, seal the airtight container with the lid and set it aside. Mark
the
date on the container to help you remember when to check for
dryness.
To
dry flowers that have many petals, such as marigolds and roses, place
them
in the silica gel face up. The plant material must be completely
covered
with the powder, but before you spoon on the powder, take a paint brush
and gently coat the inside petals with the silica gel so that no
area escapes. Using a tablespoon, spoon the silica gel against the side
of the container, so that it slides down the side of the container and
around each of the' flowers, bracing them so they do not fall over and
letting the crystals seep between each layer of petals. When flowers
are
completely covered with silica gel, place the airtight lid on the
container,
mark the date on it, and set it aside.
When
drying several flowers in the same container, it is also a good idea to
make sure that they are the same type of flower, because on that way
they
will all be dry at the same time. But if, for instance, you don't have
a same-type of flower in the same drying container, they will not be
dry
in the same period of time. The additional handling of the flowers
while
testing for dryness could cause breakage of the petals.
To
test flowers for dryness, simply run your finger through the silica gel
near the outer edge of the container, or even better use a utensil such
as Popsicle stick, where you are sure of not "bumping" the flowers, or
tilt the container.As the silica gel filters away from the flowers and
the petal tips are exposed, gently feel them. They should feel crisp
and
papery dry. If they are still soft, recover them and let them stand a
while
longer. When you are sure the flowers are dry, gently pour the silica
gel
from the container until enough of the flowers are uncovered to allow
you
to pick them up by the stem.
When
you remove the dried plant material, make sure none of the powder is
clinging
to the petals. Using a dry, clean paint brush gently brush the powder
off
the petals back into the container.
To
store the dried flowers until you have enough of them to begin an
arrangement
or project, place them face up in an airtight container of dry
builder's
sand. You can dry sand in your owen too, just use the same method like
for drying silica gel.
The
container with dry sand should have about 2 inches of sand in it, just
enough to cushion the flowers and hold them in an upright
position.
Before
reusing the silica gel, take time to heat it to make sure it is
thoroughly
dry. The warmed gel will also hasten the drying time of the flowers you
are about to work with.
Other
Methods To Preserve Plants & Related Info:
|
SPONSORED LINKS
SPECIAL METHOD