Preserving Flowers Essay Example For Students

Preserving Flowers Essay As evidenced by the discovery of preserved flowers in ancientEgyptian tombs, people have for centuries engaged in the art of preservingflowers. Today, a large variety of annuals, biennials and perennials aresuccessfully preserved. Because properly dried flowers can persist foryears after harvesting, they are often referred to as everlastings orimmortelles. To ascertain the optimum growing conditions and harvesting time fora particular species, one should not rely solely on books or articles. Experienced growers will frequently be the best sources of information. Ingeneral, flowering plants require ample sunlight, good drainage and agrowing season with a minimum of 80 days. Harvesting flowers at theappropriate time is critical. Flowers which are without blemishes, insectsor diseases should be picked on mornings of low humidity after the dew hasevaporated from the petals. Several techniques can be utilized to remove moisture from thecollected flowers. The simplest method is to tie a rubber band around abunch of flowers after their leaves have been removed, and to hang themupside down out of direct sunlight in a dry, well-ventilated attic, closetor garage. Ideally, the drying area should have a temperature between60 and 80 F and a humidity rate less than 60%. Another method isto place the flowers in a container and to cover them with clean, finesand, or a mixture of borax and cornmeal, or a nonchlorophyll kitty litter. These inexpensive substances provide the flowers with support, enablingthem to maintain their shape while they dry naturally. A more costly method is to use an airtight container and to coverthe flowers with silica gel, a desiccant, which not only provides supportto the flowers but also removes moisture from them. Overall, the morerapidly flowers dry, the less likely they are to become moldy and the morevivid their colors remain. The drying process can be further accelerated byplacing the container in a microwave oven or by applying heat. Depending onthe method chosen and the particular plant material being preserved, dryingtime may take between one and four weeks. The uses of preserved flowers are limited only by onesimagination. They are popular in floral arrangements, wreaths, bouquets,potpourri and corsages. (NOTE: Call numbers are given for items owned by NAL.)BASIC FLOWER DRYINGJOURNAL ARTICLES-Alden, Janice. 1979. They are beautiful dried, too. AFRICANVIOLET MAGAZINE. 32(4, pt. 1): 16-17. NAL Call No.: 80.AF8Bennett, Jennifer. 1985. The dried flowers of Hedgehog Hill.HORTICULTURE. 63(8): 44-47, 49-51. NAL Call No.: 80.H787Emerson, William J. 1979. Drying flowers in a microwareoven. THE PRAIRIE GARDEN. 36: 96-97. NAL Call No.: 80.W73Loebel, JoAnn Schowalter. 1987. Flowers for drying:everlasting perennials. AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST. 66(10):10-13. NAL Call No.: 80.N216Nau, Jim. 1989. A flower growers bibliography: basicreferences. GATHERINGS: THE CUT FLOWER QUARTERLY. 1(1):2-3. ONeil, Sunny. 1988. An exciting new way to dry flowers.FLOWERLETTER. 5(3): 1-2. Onions that produce flowers, beautiful to bizarre, fresh ordried. 1987. SUNSET (CENTRAL WEST EDITION). 179(5): 233. NAL Call No.: 110.SU7Petersons, Hedviga V. 1981. Drying and preserving flowers.FACTSHEET. ONTARIO MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD. No. 81-016. NAL Call No.: S155.A105Proulx, E. A. 1984. Dried and true. HORTICULTURE. 62(8):24-28, 30. NAL Call No.: 80.H787Reilly, Ann. 1984. Plan/plant now for your dried flowers.FLOWER AND GARDEN. 28(2): 26-28. NAL Call No.: SB403.F5Russell, A. Brooke. 1987. How-to hints for July gardeners:dried florals capture summers glory. AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST. 66(7): 8, 10-11. NAL Call No.: 80.N216Sheffield, Richard R. 1980. Plant everlastings for year-roundenjoyment. ORGANIC GARDENING. 27(1): 186-188. NAL Call No.:57.8.OR32Swan, Joyce. 1988. Everlastings: flowers that keep ongiving. FLOWER AND GARDEN. 32(3): 38-39. NAL Call No.:SB403.F5BOOKSCOMMERCIAL FIELD PRODUCTION OF CUT AND DRIED FLOWERS: ANATIONAL SYMPOSIUM. Sponsored by The Center for AlternativeCrops and Products, University of Minnesota and The AmericanSociety of Horticultural Science, December 6-8, 1988. .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd , .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .postImageUrl , .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd , .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd:hover , .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd:visited , .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd:active { border:0!important; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd:active , .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0c459ed1c1deafabf1ef6eda108ba6cd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Adolescent Depression and Suicide Early Detection EssayMinneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota?, 1988?. NAL CallNo.: SB442.85.C6Conder, Susan. DRIED FLOWERS: DRYING AND ARRANGING. Boston:David R. Godine, 1988. (ISBN 0-87923-719-8). Condon, Geneal. THE COMPLETE BOOK OF FLOWER PRESERVATION. Boulder, CO: Pruett, 1982. (ISBN 0-87108-618-2). Out ofPrintEmbertson, Jane. PODS: WILDFLOWERS AND WEEDS IN THEIR FINALBEAUTY; GREAT LAKES REGION, NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES ANDADJACENT CANADA AND AREAS WHERE FROST AND FREEZE ARE COMMON. New York: Charles Scribners Sons,