HOW TO CARE FOR DRIED FLORALS

Knowing how to care for your newly purchased dried florals is essential if you want to preserve their condition for as long as possible, and luckily for us all, it is very straight forward. Here I'll run through the key points to remember when caring for dried botanicals in bouquets, boutonnieres, wall installations and more and keep them at their best for years to come so that you can enjoy a piece of nature's art in your home. 

 

 

1. KEEP AWAY FROM WATER

Unlike fresh stems, it is essential you keep dried florals away from water. Don't be tempted to add your bouquet to a vase of water or spray mist a dried wall installation. This could cause them to become mouldy and begin to decompose - and we don't want that!

 

2. KEEP INSIDE

This one may seem obvious, but the more you expose dried florals to the natural elements outside, the more damage you will see, leading to a shorter shelf life. Keep blooms inside, away from the possibility of damage inflicted by rain, wind (which can cause shedding) and humidity.

 

 

3. KEEP OUT OF PROLONGED DIRECT SUNLIGHT

Consider carefully where you will place your newly purchased dried blooms,  somewhere out of prolonged direct sunlight is preferable as sun exposure for a just a couple of hours each day will absolutely lead to colour fading

 

4. KEEP COOL, DRY AND AWAY FROM RADIATORS

Again, placement is crucial to ensuring a longer shelf life. Try to choose a cool, dry spot in the house, away from radiators, drafts and high traffic areas, as these may lead to increased shedding and damage.

 

5. GENTLY CLEAN AND DUST

Like anything in the home, dust will accumulate on your dried botanicals given time. I recommend gently removing dust from more delicate stems (ie. strawflower, ammobium, carthamus, teasels, achillea, starflower, hydrangea) with a feather duster, canned air or a hairdryer on a LOW COOL setting. More robust pieces (ie. palm spears, protea) can additionally be gently cleaned with a soft cloth. 

 

6. PROTECT

An optional, non-essential step is to give dried florals a spritz of a specialist dried flower protection spray, which can be purchased online. For those with pampas grass, or other fluffy stems such as bunny tails, a light spritz of hairspray will help to set the plumage in place and stop the excess shedding that these stems are partial to.

 

Now you're clued up on how to care for your dried flowers and foliage, you can enjoy them for longer with just a few basic steps to keep in mind. Why not read about investing in dried florals and what to bear in mind when purchasing here? Enjoy!