The first seasonal flowers such as peonies, freesias, carnations and hydrangeas are already busy blooming and delight the eye with their magnificent colors and flowers. What a shame that most flowers fade relatively quickly. If only you could enjoy them for longer... But you can actually do that by preserving the flowers. And we're not talking about simple hairspray. There are other, much more reliable ways to preserve your favorites.
Preparation of flowers
No matter which of the methods below you choose, the preparation is always the same and should be adhered to so that the flowers remain attractive.
- Cut the flowers as soon as possible before use so that theyas fresh as possibleare.
- The best time of day for open flowers is the morning.
- If you also want to use buds (e.g. in an arrangement in epoxy resin), choose the evening for cutting.
Preserving fresh flowers – this is how it works:
Preserve flowers with glycerin
A good option for flower preservation is glycerin. It is also very popular for roses. This is sugar alcohol that you can purchase at the pharmacy. The durability is achieved because it has the ability to bind moisture. Find out how to use glycerin correctlyin this article.
Eternal durability in epoxy resin
There are flowers whose leaves fall off quickly when dried. If you seal them in epoxy instead, you can prevent this problem. Because once the resin has hardened, everything in it stays in place. You will receive a unique decoration that you can look at for a lifetime. But how is it done?
- flowers
- Silicone molds for casting
- Epoxy resin
- Sealer for dried flowers
- wooden sticks
- optional: Glitzer
Cut off the stems completely from the freshly collected flowers. However, leave the part with the ovary intact, as this holds the petals together. Spray the flowers with the spray and prepare the resin. Pour a layer into the first mold and place a flower (or several smaller ones) upside down. Press the flower lightly and carefully into the resin.
Then fill the mold with more resin. Using a wooden stick makes it easier to spread it around the flower. Cover the flower completely with the resin and then allow everything to cure according to the package instructions.
Tips:
- Such works of art are usually made with dried flowers. So you could also preserve your flowers this way first and thenwith the synthetic resincontinue. So if you want to preserve pressed flowers, this is a perfect choice.
- As long as the resin is still liquid, you can also sprinkle glitter on top.
Here you can read how you canYou can even preserve dandelions with epoxy resincan.
Preserving flowers – instructions for the microwave
A popular method for preserving real flowers isis drying. However, this also takes a long time because it takes time for all the moisture to evaporate from pressing and drying. The microwave is the perfect alternative if you want something quicker and you only want to preserve a few flowers. However, the flower does not retain its three-dimensional shape because it is pressed. This is how it's done:
Take four sheets of paper towels and heavy, microwave-safe weights. This can be a plate and a bowl or ceramic tiles - the heavier the better. Distribute the flowers on the paper and make sure to lay them out the way you ultimately want them. Place kitchen paper over it again and the papers with the flowers between the selected objects for pressing.
Set the device to medium wattage and heat the flowers for a minute and a half. Take them out and check if they are still moist. If so, replace the paper with dry paper, let the tiles/bowls/plates etc. cool down (and dry if they are wet) and repeat the process.
Such dried flowers look very beautiful between two framed panes of glass.
Preserve flowers with wax
Wax is another option, but there is a risk of the flowers losing their color. If that doesn't bother you, you can try it out right away. It is important that the flower has already opened well so that it retains its shape. Sowork with wax:
- white wax granules or candle residue
- 2 old glasses
- Sticks for stirring (e.g. ice cream sticks or kebab skewers)
- Paper tape
- Pot
Over medium heat, warm the wax in a glass in a pot (water bath), stirring occasionally and making sure that it does not start to boil (it is better to use a lower setting). In the meantime, stick the paper tape in a grid pattern over the opening of the other glass. Once the wax has liquefied, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Now dip one flower upside down into the wax and place it in the other prepared glass. The tape is used to keep the flowers standing straight and drying. If the wax is still too hot when dipped, the flower will contract and lose its beautiful shape.
