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has anyone tried to dry dahlias?

Posted by Wismer_PA Z6A Ne PA (My Page) on
Tue, Oct 21, 03 at 11:57

Hi All,

I am interested in trying to preserve some of my dahlia flowers this year. I plan to use silica gel.

Has anyone had any success with dahlias? any tips on drying them?

Thanks
Dave M


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: has anyone tried to dry dahlias?

Yep, and this is what I have done so far. I placed some between thick paper towels then heavy books. They molded. Now I have some between paper towels and plates. They spent time in the microwave. I have done this for several minutes, but the dahlia's along with the other flowers that I did just don't seem dry. I am afraid of over doing it, so I am just going to keep them between the plates for a few days to see.

Up til now, the best results for me have been by using the cornmeal/borax mixture. Yes the leaves have a powdery look to them, but the peachy colored zinnia's came out so beautiful. The color darkened a bit, but they are stunning. Now the leaves on these were a bit thicker than the leaves on my dinner plate dahlia's. Those have not done with with this method at all. I am going to try putting them in the borax/cornmeal and then microwaving for a few minutes and then them sit for a week to see what happens. This worked on some Hosta flowers that I did, so I am hoping...

Chey


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RE: has anyone tried to dry dahlias) followu

Hi All I attemted two methods the first one was using silica gel and allowing the flowers to sit in the silica gel for 7 days. The flowers came our fantastic, They looked like they were still new.

The second method was using the quick dry silica gel method in the microwave. These I did not like as the flowers came out looking pockmarked from the gel.

I guess I have to wait until next year to try some more dahlias as we had a freeze on Thursday.


 
 

 

 


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