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Ways to Preserve Picked Flowers

The art of preserving flowers became popular in America during the Victorian era, but had been practiced worldwide long before that. Egyptians placed preserved flowers in tombs and used them to make perfume. Dried flowers were used as medicine and for protection during the Middle Ages. In Japan dried flowers were used to create a type of art known as Oshibana. You can pick and preserve flowers using several methods to use in your own crafts.

Hang Dry Flowers
- A simple way to preserve flowers without compromising their shape is to hang them upside down. Hang drying works best with small long-lasting flowers or herbs such as roses or lavender. Flowers should not be fully matured or they might lose petals in the drying process. To hang dry flowers; remove excess leaves and other foliage. Keep picked flowers away from sunlight to preserve their color. Hang flowers individually upside down in a dark well-ventilated area with unscented dental floss. You can create bunches of flowers by banding several together and drying them. Flowers should be left alone for three weeks. Once completely dried, flowers should be removed and sprayed with a light hairspray for protection.
Press Flowers
- You can press flowers, plants or herbs inside a heavy book to dry them and preserve their integrity. Pressing works well with delicate flowers such as chrysanthemums or lilies. Pick flowers on a bright sunny day with little to no moisture. Place flowers flat between two pieces of paper. Keep the edges of the petals from overlapping or curling. Place pages inside a heavy book and weigh the book down under other books or beneath the legs of furniture. Let flowers dry for two or three weeks.
Microwave Preservation
- You can use a microwave to preserve flowers. This method will keep the color of vivid flowers best while also keeping their shape. Place flowers on top of a small box or in a container filled with silica gel. This will prevent the flowers from drying to the base of the microwave. On a medium temperature microwave flowers at 30-second intervals for two to five minutes total. Carefully remove dried flowers and let them sit for at least 24 hours. You can finish them with a light acrylic spray or hairspray.
Cat Litter Preservation
- This is a simple method of preservation that uses unscented 100 percent clay cat litter. In a container, pour 1 to 2 inches of cat litter. Place fresh picked flowers gently on top of the cat litter and seal the container. Place container in a cool dark area such as a closet and let the flowers sit for at east a week. The cat litter removes the moisture from the flowers effectively drying and preserving them.

Nature