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METHOD 4 - BookSupplies:
Grab a piece of parchment paper and place your flower on top. You'll need to fold over the parchment paper and sandwich the flower. Next, open the book towards the end and slip your sandwiched parchment paper between the pages. Moisture can leak from the parchment paper so if this is a concern use cardboard or another material as a barrier between the pages and the parchment paper. Close the book and leave the flower in for 2-3 weeks before removing. Using this method, the blooms shrink less and the integrity of the bloom is kept. However, they appear to have greater discoloration than other tested methods.
Method 3 - IronSupplies:
For this method, heat your iron on the lowest setting possible. Grab a piece of parchment paper and place your flower on top. You'll need to fold over the parchment paper and sandwich the flower. Place the folded parchment paper on either a folded towel or ironing board. Once your iron is heated up iron over the parchment paper for 30-60 seconds. Do not use any water or steam settings while ironing your flower. The goal is to dry the flower out. Once the flower has a paper-like texture set it aside for 1-2 days before use. This method does not work well for preserving the integrity of the bloom. The corolla did not hold up well as you can see from the damage in the picture above.
Method 2 - MicrowaveFor this method I loosely followed a YouTube video from HGTV Handmade. Click here to access. Supplies:
On a paper towel place your flower face up. Either fold your paper towel in half or grab another one to place on top of the flower. Set your sandwiched paper towels in the microwave. Grab a microwave safe dish e.g., Pyrex glassware or something to add weight. Place your glass dish directly on top of the paper towels. Since my microwave is 900 watts, I set mine to half power and microwaved in 15 second intervals. In total I microwaved my flower for 45 seconds. Using this method, I noticed that one of the corona outer lobes got slightly burnt on the edge and the pink center turned purple. I like how the size of the flower did not shrink as much as the silica gel method. However, I feel like the microwave method did not preserve the bloom as nicely.
Method 1 - silicia gelSupplies:
Put 3/4 of the silica gel bag into an airtight container. Before placing your blooms in the gel check to make sure your flower does not have any nectar oozing out of it. If it does have nectar on it make sure to clean it off before putting it in the silica. Otherwise, the silica gel will clump to the nectar making it harder to get off once the flower is dried. Next, set your bloom face up in the gel. Pour more silica gel on top of the flower until it is buried. The silica gel package directions say to leave the flower in container for 2 days till completely dry. I noticed that mine were dry within 17 hours. Once dried, use a gentle paintbrush to remove any remaining silica gel off the flower. The flower shrinks significantly from the original and takes on more of a deep cream color as well as turns purple in the center.
Whether you have 5 plants or 100 you should ALWAYS quarantine new plants. Any time you bring a new plant home it is a great idea to quarantine it for 2 weeks so you can observe it and make sure you aren't bringing in any unwanted pests or diseases to your collection.
The first thing I do with new plants is wipe down each leaf front to back with insecticidal soap. It is critical that you inspect the plants leaves, stems, and soil for pests and disease. Next, I will repot the plant. Depending on the circumstances on how the plant was acquired I might let it acclimate for a few days before repotting. I always repot into my own soil mix as well as give it a clear pot. For me personally, I feel more comfortable having all my plants in my own soil mixture. I worry less about root rot, soil pests, and potentially over/underwatering based on the particular soil amendments used. Next, I add in systemic granules and water the plant thoroughly. Specifically, with granule systemics you need to water them in for effectiveness. It is also important to note that you will have to reup your systemic use periodically. Over time I have switched from using the granules to liquid systemic. Once your plant has completed its 2 week quarantine, make sure to inspect it one more time before integrating it with the rest of your collection. It is also important to isolate plants when you notice pests or diseases. Additionally, if you choose to put your houseplants outside during the warmer months make sure you have pest prevention controls in place and quarantine before bringing them back in. |
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