HO-102
Preserving Plant Materials
HOME YARD & GARDEN • COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE • PURDUE UNIVERSITY -WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
? N. Dana

? or preserved plant materials complement home decor in both formal and informal arrangements. They will last almost indefinitely if carefully nd require very little care. Flower arrange-wreaths, pressed pictures, potpourri and wall gs are just some of the creative possibilities eserved plant materials.

? Plant Materials
re is no one best time of the year to collect ils for drying. Gather materials from April h October and store for future use. As a genie, collect twice as much material as you to use, since some will be damaged in the nng process. Two categories of preserved als are those which are dry and those which served with special processing. Dry materials ! naturally or artificially dried.

? Methods
? Dried Materia!
materials such as dry grasses, reeds, pine and most seed heads should be harvested in attheend of their growing season but before acome withered in appearance. Pick cattails they first turn brown and flowers are still vis-the top of the spike.
pie grooming is usually all that is necessary serving these materials. To prevent shattering ile -seed heads, such as pampas grass and ? spray with hair spray or an aerosol lacquer. Dried fruits and cones take on a shiny, decorative pine cone seeds should be removed to prevent ng as they age.

Material Drying Methods
Removal of moisture while retaining the original color and texture is the goal of plant material techniques.
Pick flowers beforethey reach full bloom because they will open further as they dry. Start with flowers of a lighter color because most flowers tend to darken as they dry. Foliage should be collected at the peak of its growing season. Generally, the best time to gather the materials is at midday, when they are not overly wet yet have not begun to wilt under the sun’s heat. Treat materials soon after picking.
Flower stems dry very slowly and add unwanted bulk. It is best to remove them, leaving only an inch or two to which a wire may be fastened. A false stem can be easily attached with a florist’s peg.

Air Drying
This simple method of drying works well with plants having semi-dry flowers and stems that do not readily wilt.
Remove all foliage from stems and tie in loose bundles with rubber bands, string or twist ties. Hang the bundles upside down in a cool, dark place for about 3 weeks. Be sure to supply good air circulation to prevent mold and speed drying.

Drying with Desiccants
Plant materials which wilt readily must be dried in a supportive material. The two most satisfactory are a sand-borax mix and silica-gel. Others, such as kitty litter, perlite, sawdust, cornstarch and corn-meal, can be used but are not as reliable.
Borax-sand: A mixture of 2 parts borax with 1 part fine sand is an inexpensive, yet effective desiccant medium. Drying by this method takes 4-14 days, depending on the material being dried. Adding 3 tablespoons of uniodized salt to each quart of this mixture will help flowers retain their original color. The material is lightweight and faster than using only sand. Do not use borax alone, as it may cause bleaching.
Silica-gel: Silica-gel is especially effective for drying delicate flowers. It is lighter than borax-sand and is the fastest drying agent available. (A quicker drying time usually means a truer blossom color.) Drying usually takes 2-7 days. It may be purchased from florists or garden centers as well as hobby and