Content
- Dry the straw flowers by yourself
- Grow the right straw flowers for drying
- Do not harvest the flowers too late
- Dry and preserve straw flowers properly
- Tips
Straw flowers are best dried upside down
Dry the straw flowers by yourself
Strawflowers are a real feast for the eyes, not only in the garden or on the balcony. These plants are also used in dried form gladly, to bring the summer beauty of nature in the form of dry bouquets in the apartment.
Previous article The straw flower in the garden - hardy or not?Grow the right straw flowers for drying
Not every one of the more than 600 different types of straw flowers is equally suitable for use in a dry bouquet. While subspecies such as the so-called curry herb are prone to flower formation, varieties such as the garden straw flower (Helichrysum bracteatum) produce large flower heads in particularly intense colors. But there are also some more subtle species of straw flower, which can still be used as a delightful dried flowers. For example, the South African straw flower (Helichrysum splendidum) offers compact flowers and bright yellows and silvery leaves. This straw flower species is also winter hardy under suitable outdoor conditions.
Do not harvest the flowers too late
Unfortunately, among many hobby gardeners, there is the misconception that certain flowers can first be enjoyed in the garden and then later used as dried flowers. Unfortunately, the same applies here as in the processing of fruits and vegetables: the fresher you harvest the flowers, the better and more aesthetically pleasing will be the result after processing. Therefore, cut off the flowers destined to dry when the flower head first opens. As with roses as cut flowers, the flowers open before and during the drying process.
Dry and preserve straw flowers properly
If you do not cut all the stems of the straw at one location, you can hope for a self-sowing of non-hardy varieties. For hanging down with the flower heads there are different possibilities:
Threading along a thread has the advantage that the stems of the straw flower, which are hanging individually in this way, dry better than densely packed in a bouquet. The stalks cut as long as possible should be hung upside down in an airy place where sunlight can fade. When dried, straw flowers can be sprayed with hair lacquer, but this also increases their flammability.
Tips
So that they can bind visually exciting dry bouquets, you should cultivate other plants in the garden in addition to the straw flowers at an early stage. Good dried flowers for the combination with strawflowers are lantern flowers, lavender flowers, silver thistles and the pretty seeds of the silver leaf.