Tatyana Zaichenko, Izhevsk: "I want to make winter bouquets out of my flowers. Tell me how to dry flowers correctly in order to preserve not only the shape, but also the color of the petals?"

There are several ways to preserve plants for a bouquet: in the air, in moisture-absorbing bulk materials, in glycerin, under a press and an iron.

Air drying

The most affordable and simplest is air drying.

To do this, use a dry, dark, well-ventilated and cool room, but the air temperature should not be lower than 10 ° C. Drying lasts from 5 to 15 days depending on the size of the plants.

Ears of cereal plants and ornamental grasses are easily dried. They are harvested just before flowering or when they become light straw in color.

Tied in bundles of 5-10 pieces. In this case, the ends are trimmed so that they are at the same level, and the tops are at a different level. Bunches are best made from plants of the same species.

In the attic, in the garage or pantry, at a distance of at least 15 cm from the ceiling, stretch fishing line, wire or rope and hang the plants at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, securing them with clothespins.

Flowering plants are cut when the flowers are in full bloom. The lower leaves and thorns are removed. 5-6 plants are tied so that the flowers do not come into contact with each other, and the leaves are well ventilated. They are hung upside down.

If the stem of the flower is thin and fragile, then a thin wire is threaded into it so that it does not break after drying.

If you need to bend the stem, after drying in the place of the fold, it is wrapped with a cloth dipped in hot water, and after a while, gently, slightly twisting it, give the desired shape.

You can air dry such flowering plantslike a cornflower decorative bows, poppy, montbrecia, lilac (cut when only the lower flowers bloom), physalis. Gypsophila and hydrangea are dried differently.

Water is poured into a vase to a height of 5 cm and the ends of the stems are immersed in it. Drying occurs as the water evaporates. The ends of the stems that are in it are cut off, since they can become moldy.

Drying flowers in bulk materials

To maximize the appearance of valuable flower plants, they are dried in bulk substances that absorb moisture well - borax, perlite, silica gel - or with lining of flowers with pieces of absorbent cotton wool.

With this drying, the petals do not wrinkle, and the color becomes more intense.

Flowers are cut on a sunny day so that there is no moisture on the petals, the head is separated from the stem and a wire is inserted into it, and it is folded into a ring under the flower.

The desiccant is poured into a deep cup or box with a layer of 1-2 cm and the flowers are placed on it with the rest of the stem down.

Then the petals are carefully poured so that they are separated from each other, and trying to let the substance penetrate deep into the flower. When the head is completely filled up, the box is tightly closed and placed in a dry place for 3-5 days.

The dried flower is picked up with tweezers, the desiccant is poured into a bowl and reused.

The rest of the powder is carefully shaken off, blown off with a rubber pear and the flower is connected with a wire with a separately dried stem.

River sand can be used as a desiccant. Only it must first be sifted and calcined well over a fire. In this case, drying takes 15-20 days. It is better to use a round cardboard box with an opening bottom as a container, because after drying it is better to remove the sand from the bottom.

This is how you should dry roses, peonies, dahlias, chrysanthemums, marigolds, buttercups, daisies, primroses, delphiniums. When saving calendula, gerbera and zinnia flowers are placed face down.

The petals are well preserved when laid with pieces of absorbent cotton. They are laid until all the petals, including the middle ones, are separated.

Then hung by the stem to dry. The flower heads dry out in 5-6 days. However, cotton wool is removed only after the stem becomes dry.

Liquid way of plant preservation - in glycerin

There is also a liquid way to preserve plants - in glycerin.

This is how the branches and leaves of shrubs are usually preserved. For this, a mixture of two parts of hot water and one part of glycerin is used.

This liquid is poured into a vessel to a height of 10 cm. In plants, the lower leaves are cut off, the stem is split with a knife.

Put them first in a vase of water for 3-4 hours, and then for 2-3 weeks in a glycerin solution. Keep in a cool and dark place. As the solution evaporates, hot water is added.

Amaranth, berry, barberry, cotoneaster, cypress, fern are dried using glycerin.

Drying plant leaves under an iron, under a press

Plant leaves are dried under an iron. Put them on paper, cover with paper and iron them with an iron. Then the paper sheets are replaced with new ones.

This procedure is repeated until the moisture is completely evaporated from the leaves.

Grasses, grains, and flowering plants will crumble less if you spray them with hairspray after drying.

Plants that are going to be used in panels are dried under pressure. For this, paper is laid on plywood and flowers wrapped in paper are laid out.

Cover with a sheet of plywood or thick cardboard and put the load. Several layers of plants can be dried under one load.

To speed up the process, the plants are shifted every day, replacing the damp paper with dry paper. It usually takes 5-7 days to press dry.

Pressing can dry most medicinal herbs, ferns, pansy flowers, clematis, mallow, primrose, violets.

phytodesigner A. Olshanskaya

Flowers are a great addition to any décor, but they usually only last a few days in the water. To preserve their beauty and admire it at any time of the year, they use the method of drying flowers.

Drying plants at home is pretty easy. For this there are several different methods, depending on the type of flowers.

When is the best time to cut flowers for drying?

It is best to cut the flowering plants before the flower is fully open. This will help preserve their color. Network of garden centers "NATALIS" http://natalis.ua/plants/listvennye-kustarniki/hydrangea.html recommends cutting the flowers in the morning, before they begin to bloom, but after the dew has evaporated.

If you want to dry the bouquet presented to you, it is best to start this as soon as possible, since most likely the flowers were cut no later than the day before purchase. If they are roses, it may be tempting to leave them in the vase until they are fully open. However, if you really want to keep the flowers as a keepsake and dry them, there is no need to wait until the full blooming stage.

What's the best way to dry flowers?

Hanging

The most common (and fairly reliable) method is to separate the flowers one at a time or into small bunches and hang them down in buds. You can use a clothes hanger and rubber band and then put the flowers in the closet. If the stems of flowers are thin, it is better to use a thin thread.

This method will take several weeks and some of the petals may fall off in the process. But this the best way save the stems in case you plan to put dried flowers in a vase.

Drying in a book

Place the flowers on newspaper, cloth, or any paper that can absorb moisture and place another sheet on top. Then put everything in the book and close it.

This method also takes several weeks and is ideal for creating dried flowers for use in floristry or jewelry.

Microwave drying

If you can't wait long for the flowers to dry, this method will probably come in handy. Place flowers (no stems) in a container and microwave. BHG suggests covering the flowers with a mixture of quartz sand or a mixture of borax and corn flour (in equal proportions). Without covering the container, leave to dry for a minute. Dry for another minute if necessary. After that, leave the flowers in the mixture for one day to dry completely.

Where is the best place to store dried flowers?

Flowers need to be dried in a cool, dark place because sunlight can discolor the flowers.

To keep dry flowers as long as possible, keep them away from windows or any other source of direct sunlight, away from stoves, fireplaces and heaters.

What flowers are best for drying?

The most popular flower is the rose, but there are many other plants and herbs that work just as well for drying.

A person living in a "stone jungle" seeks to be closer to nature. Therefore, flowers appear in his home, which not only soften the urban interior, but also carry the energy of prosperity, wealth, love, well-being.

Feng Shui has a negative attitude towards cut flowers

Is it possible to keep dried flowers in the house - this question is primarily of interest to those who, for various reasons, cannot get live plants that require constant attention... Feng Shui has a negative attitude towards cut fresh flowers, and experts in the house disagree about dried floristic compositions that have retained their natural attractiveness.

Good omens

If you are interested in the question of whether it is possible to keep dry flowers at home, pay attention to their positive and negative sides, from the point of view of esotericism. Dried flowers differ from living plants in less strength. But during the growth period, they received a lot of energy from the earth, water and sun.

Therefore, even dried flowers are real batteries capable of transferring accumulated heat to a person. Dried flowers are ideal for the representatives of the four signs of the zodiac: Cancer, Capricorn, Aries and Libra.

Defining the basis of life

Dried flowers hardly change (do not grow or wither), therefore, they can help a person to find constancy in their feelings. Suitable for those who want to keep their soul pure and others positive traits (hard work, perseverance, decency).

The dried flowers contain the cardinal cross of the zodiacal signs of the four elements, which means the basis of life. Therefore, dried plants stimulate a reassessment of values \u200b\u200bin favor of fundamental concepts: family, homeland, children, parents. A bunch of dried flowers can help a person who does not respect their parents, does not love their home correctly to orient themselves in life.

Peace at home

People with an unstable mood simply need dried flowers, which will help them become more patient and kind towards others, and increase their resistance to emotional overload and stress.

Dried flowers "capture" the atmosphere in the house. If all your household members treat each other with love and understanding, be sure to decorate the house with dried flowers to prolong this blessed state of the family.

Energy of constancy

A dried plant that retains its qualities for a long time will help you avoid losing your abilities and talents when it is not in demand.

Health promotion

"Children of Nature" have a beneficial effect on the entire body, cause:

  • increased immunity;
  • strengthening the body;
  • life extension;
  • prevention of diseases of joints, teeth, nose, eyes, gastrointestinal tract, skin diseases.

A bouquet of dried flowers, located in the northern sector of the house, will help to maintain male potency and loyalty to her husband. It should be borne in mind that if the husband is already cheating, dry flowers will not help return his devotion. On the contrary, you need to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Home protection from ill-wishers

In the old days, housewives placed compositions of dry plants over front door... This helped to protect against thieves, enemies and evil spirits. For example, thistle, St. John's wort, thyme, wormwood have protective properties.

Under the influence of dried flowers, order will always reign in your home, households will take care of their things.

The bride's bouquet

A special role is given to the bride's bouquet. The ancient Slavs considered him to be a kind of amulet for a future marriage. Dried roses should keep peace, understanding, harmony in the house. You can even hang them in bunches around the house to attract wealth, abundance, and good luck.

How to properly handle dried flowers?

Dried flowers lose their potency if rearranged frequently, so find a permanent place for them.

Observant people have noticed that dried flowers become much more active during the stay of the Sun in the constellations of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Try to fill the house with dried flowers during these periods.

Do not store dry flowers for very long. They must be thrown away as soon as they change color. Loss of color means complete "devastation" of the plants. The flower has completely given up energy, it needs to be replaced. Otherwise, he will begin to take from a person what he gave him. It is recommended to replace dried flowers once a year when a fresh crop of flowers appears.

This rule does not apply to a flower that you keep as a memory of a dear person or event. Such an object can be kept in the field of attention for exactly as long as it evokes pleasant emotions. But you need to be ready to "let go of the flower" when it fully fulfills its mission.

If there is a desire to dry the plants, this should be done outside the living space (for example, on the balcony, in a book, in a box of sand).

"Wasted" dried flowers should be burned without looking at how they burn.

Ideally, dry flowers should be kept with live ones. So indoor plant will help to change the atmosphere in the house to a favorable one, and dried flowers will help preserve positive energy.

If you have a need to get rid of something, a bouquet of dried flowers will interfere with this business. Its influence will not allow you to throw out unnecessary trash. If you have a hoarding craving, consider getting potted plants.

It is noticed that a lot of dried flowers are in the house of people who do not want to change, do not want to work on themselves

Bad omens

The energy of constancy has a negative side to it. Its carriers help to preserve not only wealth and dignity, but also existing problems.

For whom dried flowers are not suitable:

  • People with a huge baggage of complexes and shortcomings.
  • Individuals prone to accumulating unnecessary trash.
  • Families in which scandals constantly occur.

It was noticed that many dried flowers are in the house of people who do not want to change, do not want to work on themselves.

There are popular beliefs explaining why dried flowers cannot be kept in the house. They are believed to steal youth and strength. But this primarily concerns cut flowers fading in a vase. Not only does life leave plants, but also decaying water becomes a source of bad energy.

Plants that have begun to wither should be thrown away immediately, because in the process of dying they release and spread a lot of negative energy.

In addition, signs negatively answer the question of whether dry flowers can be kept at home when it comes to dried buds, and not stems and leaves. This decor is believed to bring:

  • misfortune;
  • illness;
  • death of a loved one;
  • parting with a loved one;
  • death;
  • loss of wealth;
  • loneliness (for a girl or a young man);
  • lack of profit (for businessmen and enterprises).

Feng Shui dried flowers

Oriental home improvement scholars argue that cut flowers wilt and die. Feng Shui advocates do not recommend decorating your home with plants that have no roots. But they advise giving potted flowers, symbolizing life and prosperity.

If, for various reasons, you do not want to part with dried flowers, it is important to find the right place in the house for such a decor. Dried flowers cannot be kept in the living room, bedroom or children's room. In these rooms, dried flowers can disrupt the movement of energy flows, which will lead to the accumulation of negativity.

Kitchen and bathroom - the best place for "dead" plants.

Dried flower decor perfectly neutralizes excess water energy. This is especially important in those houses where the bathroom or kitchen is on the second floor and the residents suffer from the energy flow "water from the mountain".

Any dried memorable bouquets (wedding and others, reminiscent of important joyful events) should be kept in the kitchen. So you can "shoot two birds with one stone": save an item with which you do not want to part and bring welfare and prosperity into the house.

So, dry flowers bring a specific, often negative, energy into the house. Therefore, you should not mindlessly decorate your home with such a decor without a good reason.

Dried, colorful flowers can remind you of a bright, sunny summer throughout the winter.Flowers-dried flowers when properly dried, retain their natural shape and color.

Florists practicing different ways drying flowers believe that almost all flowers are suitable for dried flowers. But not all methods are available to amateur gardeners. Therefore, we will consider only those plants that dryeveryone can.

Complement any room: living room, living room, kitchen, office or study. They cheer up and make the atmosphere light, springy and pleasant.

Look very unusualherbs dried flowers ... Many of them last much longer than flowers, do not lose their beauty. Herbs can be combined with dried flowers or used only.

Most easy way which is suitable for most plants, it is simply to tie them in small bunches and hang them in a dry, dark place. Use this method to dry flowers on thin peduncles .

Flowers on powerful peduncles , for example, hydrangeas, dry directly in a vase, filling it with 10 cm of water. After two to three weeks, the water will evaporate and the inflorescences will dry out.

Selected flowers and leaves can be dried in a warm oven , these plants retain their aroma and natural color.

Basic rule for dried flowers, this is to protect them from direct sun rays... Plants quickly lose their color from the sun and bright light. It is also equally important that dried flowers are kept in a dry room. High humidity destroys the shape and color of the flowers.

Dried flowers are preserved in different ways, depending on the plants and conditions of detention. For example, lavender, gypsophila and astilba lose their original decorative effect within a year. But decorative cereals, Helichrysum and Helipterum retain their bright color and shape for 3-4 years. Dried flowers in bouquets and compositions are very affected by dust, so they need to be shaken all the time.

Now you know,how to make dried flowers and you can create a unique and beautiful bouquet. It remains to figure out which plants are ideal for this.

Plants suitable for drying

Among the flowers thatsuitable for drying , most annuals. It is very easy to grow them, the seeds are sown directly on the flower bed in the month of May. Remember, they all need a lot of sun.

Dried flowers of the name. Most popular plants that are suitable for drying.

  • Helipterum - blooms from June to September. Height 30-60 cm. Flowers in all shades of pink and white. When dried, they look very natural, sometimes it even seems that they are alive. It is necessary to cut off inflorescences at the stage of incomplete blooming. Hang dry.
  • Immortelle (Gelikhrizum) - most beautiful flower among the dried flowers. The color of the flowers is yellow, pink, red, white, orange, crimson, lilac. Flowers up to 7 cm in diameter. Flowering begins in July and lasts until October. The height of the flower is 20-30 cm. The flowers must be cut completely in full bloom. Hang dry, heads down.
  • Kermek (statice) - blooms from July to September. 30-90 cm high. The flowers are white, yellow, red, blue. The peduncles for drying are cut in full dissolution, since, when the buds dry, they do not bloom. Dry in a well-ventilated area, head down, tying small bundles together. Flowers of blue and yellow shades do not fade for a long time. Pink and salmon flowers are prone to fading.
  • Xerantemum (dried flower) - blooms from July to September. 50-100 cm high. Flowers are white, pink, purple, red, simple and double. You need to cut off not fully blossoming flowers. Hang dry in a well-ventilated place.
  • Gomfrena - blooms from June to the first frost. Height 20-40 cm. Flowers are small, collected in small spherical inflorescences, white, red, pink, purple, yellow or purple. It is necessary to cut off the inflorescences for drying when the lower scales begin to turn brown.

Drying fruit:

  • Physalis ordinary - 60-90 cm high. It blooms with white flowers from June to August. Compound fruits - orange-red lanterns ripen in September. You need to cut off completely painted lanterns. Dry in a vase.
  • Lunnik - 40-120 cm high. The flowers are purple-violet, very fragrant. Blooms in May-June. For drying, cut the stems with pods. Dried in a vase or hanging. After drying, the shell is removed from the pods.
  • Oriental poppy - 70-90 cm high. It blooms from June to August, with pink, white or lilac flowers. For drying, cut off unripe fruit-heads. Dried in a vase or hanging, heads down.
  • Nigella Damascus - 40-50 cm high.It blooms from June to September, pink, white or blue flowers... Unripe seed pods are cut. Hanging dry.
  • Gypsophila paniculata - 80-120 cm high. Flowers are small, white, bloom on branched shoots from June to August. Cut when the flowers are fully open. Dried in a vase or hanging.
  • Hydrangea - 1-2 m high.Blossoms from June to August, white, pink, blue, blue and purple flowers... The inflorescences are cut at the end of summer. Dried in a vase or in small bundles, heads down.

It's just most popular plants which are ideal for drying. And you can still dry a lot of things. Inflorescences of ornamental cereals, dry inflorescences of alliums (ornamental onions), hops, anaphalis, yarrow, lavender, astilbe, amaranth, shaker, haretail, bluehead, etc. are also suitable. By the way, roses can also be dried and retained their shape, just for this you need silica gel.

They call it creeping hops, beer hops, curly hops, bitterness ... This powerful and beautiful liana has everything to be useful to man... Hops are revered by many peoples of the world, it is a symbol of fertility, strong economy, daring, happiness and longevity, it is depicted on coats of arms and coins. But many summer residents are not at all happy with him. Hops tend to grow rapidly, suppressing the growth of cultivated plants around them. But is it really necessary to fight it?

Pork with Eggplant - Delicious stew with vegetables and savory rice is easy and simple to prepare for dinner or lunch. It will take about half an hour to cook, so this recipe can be categorized as "if you need dinner quickly." The dish turns out to be hearty, aromatic, piquant. Turmeric gives the ingredients a beautiful golden yellow color, while cloves, cardamom, garlic and chili peppers add a spicy flavor to the dish. Choose lean meat for this recipe.

Seed reproduction in the garden strawberry we are used to, unfortunately, leads to the appearance of less productive plants and weaker bushes. But another type of these sweet berries - alpine strawberries, can be successfully grown from seeds. Let's find out about the main advantages and disadvantages of this culture, consider the main varieties and features of agricultural technology. The information presented in this article will help you decide whether to allocate space for her in the berry.

Despite the confusion accumulated over the past decades with the name "Christmas cactus", one of the most recognizable and striking forest cacti, epiphyllums, remain universal favorites. Leafless, with flattened stems, amazingly profusely blooming, hybrid epiphyllums with their hanging shoots and delicate flowers do not require particularly difficult care from their owners. They can become the most striking flowering succulents in any collection.

Merchant-style buckwheat with meat and pumpkin is an easy recipe for a delicious dinner or lunch. I advise you to bring it to readiness in the oven, although it is possible on the stove. Firstly, it tastes better in the oven, since buckwheat is steamed, it becomes very tasty, and the meat turns out to be tender. Secondly, the hour that it languishes in the oven can be spent on yourself or on communication with loved ones. Perhaps many people will decide that buckwheat with meat is an ordinary dish, but try to cook it according to this recipe.

Often at the sight beautiful flower we instinctively bend down to smell it. All fragrant flowers can be divided into two large groups: nocturnal (pollinated by moths) and daytime, whose pollinators are mainly bees. For a florist and a designer, both groups of plants are important, because we often walk around the garden during the day and relax in our favorite corners with the onset of the evening. The fragrance of our favorite fragrant flowers never fails.

Many gardeners consider the pumpkin the queen of the garden beds. And not only because of its size, variety of shapes and colors, but also for its excellent taste, useful qualities and rich harvest. Pumpkin contains a large amount of carotene, iron, various vitamins and minerals. Thanks to its long shelf life, this vegetable supports our health all year round... If you decide to plant a pumpkin on your site, you will be interested to know how to get the largest harvest possible.

Scottish eggs - incredibly delicious! Try to cook this dish at home, there is nothing difficult to prepare. Scotch eggs are hard boiled eggs wrapped in chopped meatbreaded in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and deep fried. For frying, you need a frying pan with a high side, and if you have a deep fryer, then it's just great - even less hassle. You will also need deep-fat oil to keep the kitchen out of smoke. Choose farm eggs for this recipe.

One of the most amazing large-flowered tubs, Cubanola Dominican, fully justifies its status as a tropical miracle. Heat-loving, slow-growing, with huge and in many ways unique flower bells, cubanola is a fragrant star with a complex character. She requires special conditions in the rooms. But for those who are looking for exclusive plants for their interior, there is no better (and more chocolate) candidate for the role of indoor giant.

Chickpea curry with meat is a hearty hot dish for lunch or dinner, based on Indian cuisine. This curry is quick to prepare but requires preparation. Chickpeas must first be soaked in large quantities cold water for several hours, preferably at night, the water can be changed several times. It is also better to leave the meat in the marinade overnight to make it juicy and tender. Then you should boil the chickpeas until tender and then cook the curry according to the recipe.

Rhubarb is not found on everyone garden plot... It's a pity. This plant is a storehouse of vitamins and can be widely used in cooking. What is not prepared from rhubarb: soups and cabbage soup, salads, delicious jam, kvass, compotes and juices, candied fruits and marmalade, and even wine. But that's not all! A large green or red rosette of plant leaves, resembling a burdock, acts as a beautiful backdrop for annuals. Not surprisingly, rhubarb can also be seen in flower beds.

Today, the trend is to experiment with non-trivial combinations and non-standard colors in the garden. For example, plants with black inflorescences have become very fashionable. All black flowers are original and specific, and it is important for them to be able to select suitable partners and location. Therefore, this article will not only introduce you to the assortment of plants with slate-black inflorescences, but also teach you the intricacies of using such mystical plants in garden design.

3 Delicious Sandwiches - Cucumber Sandwich, Chicken Sandwich, Cabbage and Meat Sandwich - great idea for a quick snack or for a picnic in nature. Only fresh vegetables, juicy chicken and cream cheese and some spices. There are no onions in these sandwiches, if you wish, you can add onion marinated in balsamic vinegar to any of the sandwiches, this will not spoil the taste. Having quickly prepared snacks, all that remains is to collect a picnic basket and go to the nearest green lawn.

Depending on the varietal group, the age of the seedlings suitable for planting in open ground, is: for early tomatoes - 45-50 days, average ripening - 55-60 and late terms - at least 70 days. When planting tomato seedlings at a younger age, the period of its adaptation to new conditions is significantly lengthened. But success in obtaining a high-quality tomato crop also depends on the careful implementation of the basic rules for planting seedlings in open ground.


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