Freeze-drying Flowers
Flowers symbolize the most important events in our lives. We receive a dozen red roses that say “I Love You”, a stunning bouquet on our wedding, gifts for our anniversaries birthdays, graduations—the list is endless. Of course, we want to preserve happy memories forever, if possible. We can take pictures of the flowers but that isn’t as good as the real thing, is it? Some of us resort to the old practice of putting flowers between the pages of thick and heavy books to preserve them. The flowers come out dry and flat. While this is better than nothing, we can’t help but wish that flowers don’t wilt and decay so that we can keep them forever as mementos of that special time in our lives.
Well, wish no more! We live in the 21st century when technology solves almost anything. Now, there’s no need to settle for dry, brittle flowers kept between the pages of a book or dried in the sun. A technology called freeze-drying can preserve your flowers exactly the way they look like for very long periods of time. Freeze-drying is said to have first originated from the Indians living in the Andes Mountain is the 1700′s. Its modern version, however, was introduced in 1813 by William Hyde Wallaston to the Royal Society in London. Back then, it was a procedure simply known as sublimation, or the conversion of liquid in a frozen state directly to a gaseous one.
The freeze-drying process makes use of a freeze-drying machine for flowers. Using sublimation, the moisture in the flowers is completely removed. The pressure in the chamber is reduced by creating a vacuum wherein the boiling point of water is below its freezing point. Electromagnetic radiation is applied on the flowers so that the water in its tissues will not evaporate. This way, the tissues won’t shrink, preserving the exact appearance of the flowers. After the process, a polymer coating is applied on the flowers in order to prevent shattering and to stop moisture from being absorbed in the tissues again. If the colors of the blooms fade, they can be painted back on.
Freeze-drying is the most expensive way to preserve flowers. In tropical countries such as the Philippines, freeze-dried flowers require high maintenance because of the tropical climate when the moisture content can reach up to 99%. However, freeze-drying is the only way to keep your flowers exactly how they look like for a long time. The technology might be expensive, but the results are rewarding. Imagine seeing your wedding bouquet everyday and remembering that heart-stopping moment when you said “I Do”. It would definitely be worth the price.
Timothy Spencer
http://www.articlesbase.com/crafts-articles/freezedrying-flowers-729072.html
May 6th, 2010 at 6:54 am
Freeze Drying flowers?
how do you do it?
May 6th, 2010 at 11:56 am
Well…ah…actually…I’ve never heard of anyone doing that at home. There are two or three widely accepted methods for drying flowers, and to the best of my knowledge none of them employ freezing temperatures.
The first method is simply letting them air dry. They hang upside-down in a dark, cool location for however long it takes. Some flowers , like roses, need to have florist’s wire wound around the stem and inserted into the bloom to keep it from falling off. Not all roses do that, but if there’s any moisture between the petals you can end up with a mess. This technique is perfect for retaining the fragrance, if not so much the color, of the flowers.
The second method uses silica gel crystals. Gently set the bloom on a bed of crystals and begin sprinkling more crystals around and inside the petals. Make sure the petals are in the position you want them to be when the bloom is completely dry because they won’t remain flexible enough to fuss with. This method is preferred for complex blooms such as peony and chrysanthemum. It preserves the shape, but not the fragrance, of the flower.
The third method uses a flower press. Simple blooms such as pansy and also foliage are laid between two felted surfaces, a frame is put on the outside, and the whole contraption is clamped together to maximize pressure. The end result retains the flower’s color better than other methods. Flattened flowers can be used on stationery and other flat surfaces.
Some people (myself included) use a microwave press. It’s specifically designed to remove the moisture from the flowers quickly using heat. Timing is tricky though, because a few too many seconds will burn the color right out of the petals.
I hope this helps!
ETA: I stand corrected! Thanks for that awesome link, booboo!
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May 6th, 2010 at 11:58 am
My sister had freeze dried flowers at her wedding and no one knew they weren’t fresh! They looked freshly picked and kept for years after the wedding (until the children got to them).
Here is a link for you with some information, it looks like you need special equipment to do it (not stuff you would have at home): http://www.florage.com/freeze-dried-flowers.html
Hope this info. helps you.
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