Category: Life of Artists

  • Easy Tips : How to make flowers last longer

    Easy Tips : How to make flowers last longer

    One thing we all can agree on is that fresh flowers look great and have the power to brighten up a room all by themselves. Every time I see fresh cut flowers I secretly wish I had the superpower to make them stay fresh and last a bit longer than a couple of days.

    However,in the absence of a magic word that would keep my flowers from wilting, it is more of a “learning by doing ” and I am sharing everything I learned hoping to make life easy for your flowers .

    The mantra for keeping flowers fresh is –
    “Give them food & slow the bacterial growth” .

    The effect of these 5 simple tips on your flowers will surprise you , so don’t laze out on them , because we know you love those flowers more than you want to admit .

    Fresh flowers lift your spirit

    Step 1 : Do it ASAP

    When you bring the flowers into your home from the garden or a florist make sure to get them into water at the earliest but first remove all the plastic or paper . Also,rid the stems of dirt by washing them under running water .

    The more you delay and leave flowers without water , lesser is their life .

    Step 2 : Picking the vase and place

    Choose a vase with sufficient room at the bottom for your stems and a mouth large enough to allow air circulation . Make sure you wash the vase thoroughly.

    Ideally most flowers will last longer under cooler conditions hence try to keep your flowers away from harsh conditions like direct sunlight and high heat .

    Step 3 : Prune the flowers

    Firstly remove all the leaves which will be going inside the vase as they tend to rot quickly leading to the growth of bacteria.

    Now cut each stem at an angle with a sharp knife. You can use scissors too but be careful as they tend to crush the stems . Angled cut stem allow better water absorption.

    Note : It is advised to cut the ends under running water .This will renew the water vessels and keep air from entering the stem ,as air bubbles interfere with water absorption .

    Step 4 : Feed your flowers

    Since your flowers are not getting any food , giving them sugar solution will ensure a longer life . The downside of sugar is that it will also  help the growth of bacteria .

    Within 3-4 days bacteria create slimy ,gunky residue on stem ends and the water  will start to stink( Rings a bell , doesn’t it ? ). This also prevents the stem from taking up water causing more trouble for your flowers  .

    To counter this you need to add an agent that will slow the bacterial growth like Apple cider vinegar .

    Flower food mixture :

    To make the flower food , mix 2 tablespoons of Apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons sugar in 1 cup of water. Alternatively you could use 1:1 tablespoon ratio of sugar and salt in one cup of water .

    The ratio is variable depending on the number of flowers  and amount of water you take.

    Old as good as new !

    Step 5 : Repeat the cycle

    It is very important to change the water every day or on alternate days to reduce bacterial growth .If it’s possible , wash the vase from inside ,especially its walls.

    When you change water make sure to re-cut the stem and remove all the wilting ends to keep a check on the inevitable bacterial growth .

    You will need to top the fresh water with sugar  and salt/vinegar mix as you did above .

    Also , water wisely.

    You don’t have to fill the vase upto brim. You just need to feed all the stems.

    This will give you enough margin to snip a bit of stem every time you change water.

    Lastly , observe and improvise everytime you bring fresh flowers home. All flowers behaves differently but with experience, you can get a better idea on how to take care of them. .For eg , I personally prefer Chrysanthemums as their life is 2-3 weeks.

    My 2 week old flowers

    Fingers crossed, I am sure that the above 5 tricks will tip the scale in your favour and you will emerge a winner with long lasting flowers(Drum rolls playing in background !! )

    If you have any new suggestions or tips which have helped you keep your flowers  fresh, do share with us in the comment section .

     

    If time permits,do read the articles below to get a better understanding of fresh cut flowers : Read 1 , Read 2  and Read 4

     

  • Easy DIY : How to press flowers

    Easy DIY : How to press flowers

    Idea behind pressed flowers :

    Pressed flowers are a beauty to look at and also make  a wonderful gift for yourself or your loved ones.

    Hence I am sharing some of the basics of flowers pressing which can help you to avoid the  obvious mistakes and preserve these beauties closest to their natural state.  

    Framed pressed pink flower with leaves
    Framed pressed flower

    Things you need :

    Flower /petals/leaves for pressing , book(s) , heavy object (to place on top of book ) ,sheet of paper (prefer blotting paper ; not essential ) .

    Things to remember  :

    • Ensure to press flowers right ahead 

    Carry a small , thin notebook which can hold the picked flowers for the time being as they are bound to wilt or get damaged in your hand or bag before you reach home and press them in a book .

    • Make sure the flowers are dry  

    If you don’t want to end up with a moldy piece ensure that the flower/leaves are free from any moisture, dirt and soil  . If you are picking flowers from nearby then prefer to pick them during the day to avoid the morning dew. 

    • Preserving the shape of pressed flowers

    Unlike fresh flowers , the pressed flowers lie flat hence their aesthetics  differ . You need to remember the final look of your preserved flower while you set them in a book.  

    For instance ,we generally preserve flower sideways but you can also explore pressing flowers face down. You can gently adjust the petals  with your hand to get it right.   

    Full flowers press differently and you can try and see if you like the result or not. You can press just the petals of some big flowers .

    • Complimenting the pressed flowers

    Along with flowers you can  press leaves and grass as an add-on . When put together  they tend to bring out the beauty of pressed flowers .

    • Count the days 

    Now all you need to do is put the flowers between two clean sheets of paper and put them inside a book and add a couple of heavy books or any heavy object on top  .

    Most flowers take 2-4 weeks to dry fully . Meanwhile ,try not to peek at them . Patience is rewarding for the pressing process. 

    Sunlight can affect your flowers while you press them hence keep them away from direct light . Also make sure the place is dry as humidity affects  the pressing process. 

    •  Helpful hand of blotting paper  

    Although not necessary but  to take better care of moisture you can keep a layer of blotting paper between the  book pages and your flower . This helps in drying fuller flowers which  have greater number of petals .

    You can remove the tissue paper after 3-4 days and press the flower between two new sheets of paper.

    •  Final look of pressed flower  

    Pressed flowers are bound to lose their color with time especially with exposure to direct sunlight . Hence the sealing  process will help you to keep them intact for a little longer .

    You can explore different options available ,the simplest method is to apply Mod Podge or watered down PVA glue over pressed flowers .

    Tip :

    As pressed flowers are fragile and brittle hence it is best to work with them using  a pair of tweezers during and after the pressing process.  

    Now that all the basic points are covered please go ahead and try it at least once . You can experiment with pressing different flowers and frame them to  decorate your walls .