Send flowers to anyone in the US by purchasing them anytime at http://www.212floral.com/

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Want to make your garden's summer flowers last all year? Ok, the easiest way is to bring your
garden flowers indoor and dry them.
* First: Harvesting Flowers
It is best to cut your flowers in the morning hours after the dew has evaporated from the plants.
Once cut, group stems into bunches using rubber bands (pure rubber rubber bands work best)
and remove them from the sunlight as soon as possible.
There are definite developmental times which are best for cutting flowers for drying. This can be
very specific for different plants or even different cultivators of the same plant. In general, it is best
to pick immature flowers (ones that are not completely open) since flowers continue to open during
the drying process. If you pick a flower at the time that it looks perfect, it will continue to open while
drying, leaving you with a flower past that 'perfect stage'. Most people pick flowers too late. For
example, have you ever seen a pretty dried rose? If you really look at it, the flower is still fairly
closed. Avoid harvesting flowers too mature in development. Such flowers will generally shed
upon drying and will not hold up well in arrangements.
We offer specific picking and growing recommendations for each flower we grow. Just click on any
dried flower name on any of our lists to obtain a wealth of specific information including pictures!
* Second: Preserving Flowers
With only a few exceptions, we air dry all our flowers. We simple hang flower bunches upside
down on wire (over two miles of it is stretched in our circa 1860 barns). The barns offer ideal
conditions: 1) darkness; 2) very good airflow; 3) cool updrafts; 4) perfect (usually) humidity levels.
Once you have cut your flowers, it is important to remove them from the sunlight as soon as
possible. This, along with drying in the dark, is the most important factor in maintaining good color.
Note:
1)How to Hang Flower Bunches
Suspend a 1/2-inch-diameter horizontal pole or pipe from the ceiling. If fastening hooks into your
ceiling or walls is not an option, use tripods or two high-backed chairs to support the pole. A bent
paper clip makes a perfect hanger for your bunches. Put newspaper or a drop cloth on the floor
under the hanging bunches to catch fallen leaves, seeds, and petals. Hang bunches far enough
apart to allow good air circulation.

2. 2) How Long to Hang Flowers to Dry
The drying process takes from 10 to 20 days, depending on the plant. When dried, the stems
should snap. You must test the flowers for dryness. Dissect one or two, and make sure the
flowers'' insides are thoroughly dry.
Some flowers, such as delphiniums, keep their color better if dried quickly near sources of warm
air such as a heater. Large, many-flowered blooms such as dill, fluffy grasses, and Queen Anne''s
lace, should be dried upright, not hanging upside down.
3) How to Dry Flowers with Silica?
Silica-gel drying is done in shallow, airtight, plastic (or glass) containers or trays. I dry many
flowers at once using a 10- by 18-inch airtight plastic container. Yours need not be that big, but
make sure that the flowers aren't crowded. Spread the flowers out, face up, on a 1-inch (minimum
depth) bed of crystals. Carefully spoon or sprinkle more silica on top until you've completely
covered the flowers with at least another inch of crystals. Drying flowers with single-petal
structures, such as daisies, facedown is another technique, but my results have been identical
using both approaches. To dry flowers facedown, create a small mound for the flower head, place
the flower head facedown on it, and add silica over the flower until it is covered. Flowers can be
almost touching, and because similar kinds of flowers dry at the same rate, you may wish to group
similar blooms in the same container. Seal the container, and don't disturb it for three to four days.
Remove delicate blossoms very carefully. Shake or brush off the crystals lightly with a soft artist's
paintbrush. Leaving flowers in desiccant too long makes them very fragile, so remove flowers right
away once you've determined that they're dry enough.
4) How to Use Sand to Dry your Flowers?
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. Notice that flowers must be stored in a strong carton to protect the petals
from breaking.
5) Using a Microwave Oven to Dry Flowers
The latest and fastest method to dry flowers is to use a combination of silica gel and a microwave

3. oven.
With the use of a microwave, you can now dry your flowers very quickly. Flowers should be
gathered at their peak or else they will turn brown. Use any of the drying agents (silica gel, sand,
borax) in a container deep enough to cover the bloom. Leave a 1/2 inch stem on the flower, and
place it face up on a 1/2 inch layer of drying agent. Carefully sprinkle enough agent to cover the
flower, and place it in the microwave along with a small bowl of water. Do not remove the flowers
from the agent immediately, but set them aside for several hours. Listed below are some times for
drying flowers in a microwave.
By using air drying and other methods also, many flowers can be preserved for year-round
enjoyment. Plan now to include some flowers in your garden for drying, and check nearby fields
and road sides throughout the summer and fall for more dried plant materials.
* Third: Care of Dried Flowers
Routine dusting can be accomplished using a real feather duster or hair blow dryer on it's lowest
setting.
* Last: Storing and Enjoying Dried Flowers
We recommend wrapping the flowers in newspaper and placing them in a cardboard box. Do not
store the box containing the dried flowers where it is unusually damp (some basements) or very
dry (some attics). Also, a lot of people think you should never store dried flowers outside (it would
be way to cold). This is simply not true. Temperatures are not important. In fact, a garage can be
an ideal place for storing dried flowers. Actually, if your home is heated by forced air, the preferred
place to store dried flowers would be in a outside building away from the dry heat.
In general, dried flowers should remain out of direct sunlight while you enjoy them in their final
state. This will minimize fading over time. We also suggest not to place dried flowers in the path of
forced air heat registers. This extremely dry air is very hard on dried flower structure (causes
shattering).
Suggestion for use of dried flowers would include wreaths, swags, sheaths, bouquets, and sprays.
Simply hanging dried flowers in a room can be very appealing. Also, placing clusters of bunches in
a basket, as though you just came in from a garden, is most attractive.
Caution: if you do store your dried flowers outside, make sure you protect them from small
rodents and insects (a few mothballs will work).
Finally, I should to say that drying flowers can be addictive! Before long, wreaths will adorn all your
doors, and swags will hang from every wall. And they'll all have come from your own garden. Talk
about an extended season! You'll soon see why dried flowers are often called "everlastings".
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Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Krista_Qian
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Our flowers are better and fresher. Don't believe us? See for yourself. We always have deals other
cannot afford to offer. We deliver anywhere in US and outside. Visit: www.212floral.com
http://www.212floral.com/
==== ====