Putting advice from internet green lifestyle experts to the test.

Where do you turn to when you are frustrated and need help on a project?  The internet, right?  But how do you separate internet myths from reality?  I tried to do just that while attempting to dry some flowers.  I consulted different blogs and various green lifestyle experts and there seemed to be four basic ways to dry flowers: press them in a book; hang them to dry; place them in sand or use store-bought silica gel.

I ruled out pressing them, as I wanted the flowers to retain their shape. On the same note, I have never had a good experience hanging flowers to dry.  I decided to hedge my bet by doing one bunch of flowers in sand and the other in silica gel from a traditional craft store.

The sand instructions from the green lifestyle experts on the internet indicated that by burying the flower head completely in clean sand (bought at a toy store) and allowing it to dry for a few weeks, it would preserve my flowers. The first step was to cut the booms off the stems.  I then filled the air tight plastic container with sand, the blooms and set them aside in a cool dark area.  At the same I proceeded to do the same with the remainder of my flowers, only this time enrobing them in silica gel.  I chose the self-indicating Silica gel, which changes colors from blue to pink, as it absorbs the water from the flowers.

So I let some time pass, and then the moment of truth came.  The grand unveiling.  I was expecting to see a perfectly dried rose from my sand container but instead I got a handful of mushy goop. I was disappointed.  I then moved on to the much more expensive Silica gel, with much trepidation.  The roses placed in the Silica gel, were perfect. The color was redder than a normal dried flower and the petals less brittle. Now to attach the bloom I didn’t need any advice.  I merely purchased floral wire and floral tape and the flower was easily attached to the stem.

The lesson here?  Think carefully about internet advice even if it comes from self-proclaimed experts.   Through trial and error perhaps we will all become green lifestyle experts.

Tags: crafts, dried flowers, drying flowers, eco friendly crafts, Green Lifestyle, green lifestyle choices, green lifestyles, Green Living, sustainable choices, sustainable crafts, sustainable lifestyle, sustainable lifestyles, Sustainable Living, sustainable practices, Sustainable Solution, sustainable solutions