(1) Flower material source
There are many sources of dried flowers, such as weeds, wild flowers, wild fruits, etc. Common flowers such as cut flowers and leaves can also be used as sources of dried flowers.
(2) Selection criteria
Water content flowers should try to choose less water content, or wax flower trees are better. Flowers with high water content are generally not suitable for dry revolutionary flowers, and can be dried with silica gel or liquid when necessary.
Flowers with large flowers and flowers with medium flowers should be cut at the early flowering stage or when the pollen is not fully dispersed, so as to maintain their bright colors and beautiful flower posture. When the overall opening degree of the flower branches reaches more than 70%, the Kobanawa miniature flowers can be cut and dried.
(3) Cutting time is generally suitable in early spring and autumn. Flowers must be fresh, and dried flowers cannot be made of withered flowers.
2 drying treatment
Flowers should be dehydrated and dried immediately after collection, and different drying methods should be selected according to flowers:
(1) natural air drying method
Before air drying, remove two-thirds of the leaves from the branches and cut off the remaining flowers.
Air-dry the arranged flowers, such as various wildflowers, hydrangeas, swallowwort, mimosa, Ai Ju, etc. It should be tied up with fine twine from the end, tied into small sticks and hung upside down on the crossbar to dry. Be careful not to have too many flowers in each bunch. Large cut flowers, such as delphinium, should be hung and dried in a single flower. If tied into bundles, the flowers will be easily crushed after drying, which will affect the ornamental effect. Papyrus, lavender, Puwei flower, etc. You can put it in a container with a big opening to dry, so you can fan it out. The air-drying place should be warm, dry and well ventilated, and the indoor temperature should not be lower than 10℃.
After a few days, the finished air-dried flowers will gradually dehydrate and dry, and they will feel crisp when touched by hands. When the petals become fibrous, they can be sorted away. After taking them off, some flowers or branches that are deformed, discolored or rotted in the drying process will be removed, and then the dried flowers will be stored in a clean environment or made into dried flower arrangement products.
(2) desiccant method
For flowers that are not suitable for natural air drying, such as large flowers, flowers with high water content, fleshy flowers, etc., desiccant method can be used for dehydration and drying. Commonly used desiccants include silica gel, glycerin, anhydrous calcium chloride, quicklime, etc.
(3) microwave oven drying method
Flowers suitable for natural air drying, such as wildflowers, daisies, roses, marigolds, etc. And some grasses such as Puwei, Cirsium japonicum and papyrus. The microwave drying method has the advantages of short drying time, simple operation and no need to use other media as desiccant. The drying time of microwave oven depends on the type of oven and the number of flowers. Some berries break easily in the microwave oven. Before drying, they should be dried in a cool, dry and ventilated place for at least one week, and then dried in a microwave oven.
3. Processing after drying
Some flowers can be used directly after drying, but most flowers need to be bleached, colored, shaped and scented before they can be put into the market.
(1) bleaching treatment
Fumigating the flower material to be bleached with bleach or sulfur to remove the mottled color of the flower material so as to carry out dyeing processing according to different requirements. Bleached flowers should be stored in a dark and cool environment.
(2) Coloring
Bleached flowers are usually colored except for direct painting. Coloring can use commercial special dyes to treat flowers. Oil color dyeing can also be used for large flowers. The color and chromaticity of dyeing should be properly adjusted according to the purpose of flower materials. Before dyeing, it is best to use a small amount of dried flower materials to do experiments, and a large number of colors can be adjusted and fixed before coloring. The coloring of large flowers should pay attention to maintaining the characteristics and freshness of the original patterns and colors. After dyeing, put the flowers in a well-ventilated and clean environment to dry and stand by.
(3) Composition and stereotypes
After processing, the dried flower materials can be shaped according to the pre-conceived scheme, and made into dried flower products such as dried flower baskets and dried flower flower arrangements, or processed into dried flower bookmarks, decorative paintings and other handicrafts.
(4) incense
The dried flower basket or flower arrangement itself has a faint fragrance of flowers. In order to enhance the attractiveness of dried flower products, they can be fumigated to make them emit a pleasant fragrance similar to flowers.
4 Storage of dried flower products
Processed dried flower products should be placed in a clean and dry room, and attention should be paid to environmental disinfection and insect prevention.