Susan W
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1858
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

Straw flower, drying

I am hoping someone here has dried straw flowers for everlasting bouquets. I've messed with a few flowers, (Mexican sage, yarrow, statice) and just pick, cut off lower leaves put in about 2" water, let it go dry. Bingo!

Well, I have one straw flower bloom that is needing to be picked. When I checked the 'net, looks like the stem is brittle, and I need florist wire. This is now getting complicated, at least for me!

Suggestions please, thank you and your welcome!!

lily51
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Posts: 735
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:40 am
Location: Ohio, Zone 5

Susan W wrote:I am hoping someone here has dried straw flowers for everlasting bouquets. I've messed with a few flowers, (Mexican sage, yarrow, statice) and just pick, cut off lower leaves put in about 2" water, let it go dry. Bingo!

Well, I have one straw flower bloom that is needing to be picked. When I checked the 'net, looks like the stem is brittle, and I need florist wire. This is now getting complicated, at least for me!

Suggestions please, thank you and your welcome!!

I have dried many kinds of flowers, including the ones you have mentioned.
to dry these, I cut when dew is gone, fasten in small bunches with rubberbands, and hang upside down in a dry, dark place. (Hanging upside down instead of upright keeps the blossom part from drooping over. ) At one time, this was the unused grainery in our barn and the flowers looks so beautiful drying there. Now that the barn is gone (straight line wind, 10 years ago :( )I dry them in upstairs closets that are not in use anymore. They do quite well there. And I don't grow a quarter acre or more these days.

I have dried strawflowers by removing the blossoms when open. I placed them on an old screen and again put them in a dry, dark place. The to use in bouquet, I used a "stem" made of a floral wire with a loop on the end, pulled in through the center of the blossom so hook ended up in blossom and then covered the wire with floral tape. Don't pull too hard or the "stem" will come through the blossom.

Of course, they can be used for potpourri, then no wire is necessary.

Enjoy. I've loved growing and preserving everlasting for over 30 years.

Susan W
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Posts: 1858
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

Thank you Lily! You are the go-to expert!
I only have about 10 strawflower plants and picked 2 blooms/stems today. I cut off leaves, hung upside down with string. I was near Michaels today and got a small card of green floral wire. We'll see where this takes me!
Unless these are awesome, won't do flowers that need wire etc next season

lily51
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Posts: 735
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:40 am
Location: Ohio, Zone 5

I tend to. Agree with you on that. :)



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