In recent years, silica-gel crystals have gained popularity because they dry flowers at a steady pace. This allows flowers to retain their shape and color better than our grandparents ever imagined. What's more, the lightweight crystals don't crush the plants - a downfall of the old methods.
Although you can dry many types of plants in silica-gel crystals, you'll find them especially useful for preserving delicate flowers and foliage. Avoid large thick flowers, however, because they may not dry completely in the center. Also, expect some color changes when drying with silica gel. Red, blue and purple flowers will deepen in hue, but other shades may fade a little.To get started, purchase silica-gel crystals at a craft or floral-supply store. Then pick the plants after any dew or rain has evaporated off the leaves, but before the heat of the day. Begin the drying process as soon as possible.
To dry the plants, read and follow the manufacturer's directions carefully. Also, keep the following tips in mind before you cover the flowers:
- Stems don't dry well in silica gel, so it's best to trim unnecessary lengths.
- Because the dried blooms will be brittle, insert wire stems on fragile species before drying while the blossoms are still pliable.
- If you're working with large, rounded blooms, such as roses, dry only one layer of plants at a time. Otherwise, the weight of successive layers may crush the blossoms. For flatter plants such as daisies, you can dry several layers at once.
- Because drying times will vary depending on the type, size and moisture content of each plant, check them frequently. Don't let plants become too dry or they will fall apart. Rosebuds, for example, should dry in about three days.
- As you're covering flowers with crystals, make sure you completely cover the areas between petals to prevent mildew from forming in damp spots.
- To remove extremely delicate blossoms from the silica gel, push away crystals with a fine paintbrush.
- When you're storing the dried plants, add a few silica-gel crystals to the bottom of your container to capture any moisture that might seep in.