Sometimes we find dried flowers among a book leaf, sometimes in an arrangement complete with ornaments. While a dried flower takes a place in our memories, they have always been used to decorate our environment. In order to preserve and display the flowers we love, admire or rare, with all their beauty for many years, we tried to keep them by drying them.
The first things to consider in flower arrangement; It is the preservation of the color and shape of the dried flower. At first, it can be used to take advantage of these properties for drying, but later it can be designed to facilitate shape and color. In flower drying, the time in the process to be dried and the time to be collected constitutes space. For better results, it should be collected and dried on a day when the humidity is low, without hitting the dew.
Weather : No chemicals are used in the air drying method, which is the most natural drying method. Drying should be done in a well-ventilated, warm, dry, clean, dark or dimly lit environment. The hotter and drier the drying process is, the faster it will be and the less deformation. In addition, the color of the flower may fade in light environments. Therefore, drying conditions should be well prepared. The flower to be dried during the process should be hung upside down so that it does not absorb moisture, and the dust layer that will form on it during the process should be carefully cleaned. Dust and bacteria that will form on the flower can cause deterioration. The drying process with the air drying method takes between 2 and 5 weeks, depending on the type of flower.
Press : Since the flower is pressed in the pressing drying method, it loses its depth and becomes flat. It is not suitable for too long and meaty. For drying, forming dryers are put into use appropriately. Papers moistened for drying machines during the drying period. Drying can be done between 2 and 4 weeks with the pressing method.
Glycerine : Drying with glycerin is an ideal succulent for a very useful flower. Dried glycerin can be stored for many years without spoiling. The colors in the leaves and colors in this process are in appearance. The glycerine solution will be put into a bowl of two small hot water and this is done in the bowl. Controlling the dosage in the container is subjected to a reduction process. It can take 3 to 6 days in soft-textured flowers and up to 6 weeks in aquatic plants.
Sand : Although air drying is effective in many flowers, not all flowers can be dried effectively with this method. Since the pressing method also distorts the shape of the flower, the drying method in sand has been developed. The sand to be used during the process should be very fine-grained , organic materials. Washed, filtered and thoroughly dried sand is spread on the flower to be dried, in a box of appropriate dimensions at a height of 3-4 cm. The flower placed in the box is carefully covered with 3-4 cm of sand again, so as to process the smallest details of the flower. Depending on the type of flower we dried in this way, the drying process is completed within 3-5 weeks.
Borax : It is applied in a lighter way with the sand method. Drying should be well followed. Once it dries, it can be cleaned to a large extent in order to avoid extremely sensitive developments in terms of borax.
Silicon : This method is the same as the sand drying method. But; Silicon, which shortens the drying time considerably, is preferred in the material used. Silicon reduces the drying time from 2 to 10 days, depending on the type of flower. Color and shape are better preserved as the drying time is shortened. Although silicon is an expensive material used in the drying process, it can be used repeatedly by removing the moisture it receives during the drying process.
Microwave oven : It is the newest and fastest method used in the drying process with the development of microwave ovens. Since the drying time takes place within minutes, this method is currently the method in which the color and shape are preserved at the highest level. However, since the drying time is very short, it is a little difficult to adjust the time. If the plant sap is less than normal in the drying process, it may not give good results, or if it is kept a little too long, the desired drying level may not be achieved. However, this method gives effective results in almost all flowers. The most suitable time in the drying period will be determined by the trials.
