The Beauty and Longevity of Dried Floral

A dried floral arrangement is a natural, artful companion in your home or office, and although its beauty is sometimes referred to as “everlasting” it goes through a life span all
of its own.

The Life Span of  Color

A dried floral arrangement goes through a life span of its own. Under favorable display conditions, one might observe a slight color change within a year. The arrangement then fades to more vintage colors with the ensuing months and years. If you prefer strong colors, consider dried floral as an alternative to fresh floral with a vibrant life of about nine months to a year. Some, though, favor the mellowing of the tonalities which comes about after a year and a year and a half.

Some dried floral elements like lavender or Spanish apple leaves enjoy even a longer color-rich life span, whereas red or blue hydrangea or dried red roses are more light sensitive and fade fast with increased light. Other elements like reindeer moss can be even color-revived.

To understand the dos and don'ts for dried floral arrangements keep in mind that a sheet of paper is quite like dried floral: in strong light the print colors fade, the paper itself yellows and becomes more like parchment. When exposed to moisture paper goes limp and when it rains sometimes the colors run and the paper turns into mere pulp. Exposure to heat can make paper go brittle and even turn brown in color while strong winds tear the paper and make its crisp edges ragged.

Rules Of The Dried Green Thumb

Please, keep in mind that dried floral is a natural material which is susceptible to the elements as much as any other organic object

Most dried floral is not meant to be displayed outdoors weathering disagreeable atmospheric conditions. Rain, wind and humidity will shorten its colorful life considerably.

As much as possible, keep dried floral out of direct sunlight and strong electrical illumination (i.e. halogen spot lights). The less light, the longer the life of the color of a dried floral arrangement.

Dried floral displayed behind a storm door can suffer effects of 'being baked' since the air behind a storm door in direct sunlight can heat up to 100 F or more even on cold winter days.

When dried floral is exposed to elevated humidity - for instance, homes at the seaside - the moisture will affect the natural material. As an example, furs and fabrics should be stored at a humidity level between 45% to 55%, whereas a New England home can easily experience a humidity level of 70% during July and August.

  Paper ( leaf bag i.e.) is a better material to store your dried floral in than a tightly closed plastic container or plastic bag because it won't trap any possible moisture within causing mold to grow.

 When storing dried floral elevate the item off the ground by at least 3 feet in a dry unlit space of moderate temperature. Damp basements, garages or storage sheds, a hot attic, a place near a heating vent, laundry drier or furnace do generally not provide adequate storage for your arrangement.

  You might consider to place a block of cedar with the dried arrangement to keep the moths away. Moth balls would do as well but you might notice the typical moth ball odor on your arrangement afterwards.

Seasonal Dried Floral

You might also consider using a dried floral piece as a seasonal object. Storing a dried floral arrangement between the seasons in a dry, darkened space of average temperature ( up 70 degrees Fahrenheit) can give you years of enjoyment.  

Maintaining Dried Floral

Dried floral arrangements do not need much care; just a few precautions maybe to increase their longevity. Dried floral prefers to be treated with a light touch. Avoid using stiff brushes or dusters which might harm the material. Do not use water or aggressive chemicals to clean dried floral.

A good way of dusting an arrangement is to employ compressed air {air in a can} available at electric stores or computer stores and commonly used to dust electrical equipment (i.e. computers). From a two feet distance, lightly dust the particles off the leaves. If the compressed stream of air appears too strong, increase the distance from the arrangement and continue. The more gentle your dusting, the better for the leaves and blossoms.

We also recommend to refrain from watering, misting or vacuum-cleaning dried floral arrangements (smile !)

Above all, look at dried floral as a natural, artful companion in your home or office and enjoy its beauty.

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Siqueland-Gresch.
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