Sometimes with the “woody” stems I slit the bottom stem with a knife to allow a larger Flo of the mixture. Especially with larger stems. Then use scissors on the smaller stems.
I'm wanting use my fall Japanese Maple for our November Thanksgiving Day celebration and am encouraged by this video. Thank you so much for such clear directions and all the tips, based on your extensive experience.
You're welcome. Ideally you'd want to preserve your Japanese Maple in the early summer to use it for your Thanksgiving celebrations. If you're on Facebook I'd love to see photos of your Thanksgiving table - search for FlowerStart World
I am so excited the Japanese maple performed well! I have a deep burgundy one on my parents property that I love to arrange in a vase by itself in the fall, but it never lasts more than a few days each time. I’m going to try this method this year! 😁 I’ve seen some people add colour to the water when working with boxwoods to keep them green - do you think that would work for other varieties? Thank you for this detailed video!
You're so close to 1000! That's so exciting! You make this always look so easy! I want to learn more about growing and preserving flowers/greenery but I never seem to find the time. Watching you doing it is my consolation 😁
I found out that if you take a hammer and smash the stem, up a couple inches that it soaks it up quite nicely, woody stems do well when smashed before putting in glycerin solution
I've had a couple of people say that - I'm reluctant to try having been taught that hammering stems destroys their cell structure and stops them taking up water. Interesting to hear that it works well for you.
Hi Julie, thanks so much for the video, this was such great information! I was curious if you have had any luck using this method for fern leaves/branches?
I wonder whether your fern leaves will get too heavy and then flop over before the glycerine has done its job. You could try putting your glycerine mix in wide/shallow bowl and floating your ferns on top of the liquid (instead of standing them upright in it) instead.
I'm just researching ways to preserve dried plants, mostly moss, lichens and small leaves, and tiny flowers, and branches and twigs. I was wondering as you are a floral arrangement artist, is there anything you do for dried plants after they have dried naturally? Is there a spray that you use or a sealant? And how long do the floral arrangements last? I am looking for ways to make them last for many years. Most of my arrangements will be covered in glass domes or little enclosed spaces like jewelry lockets and glass jewelry boxes etc. Thank you for your help.
What a great question. You'll need to make sure dried materials are really, really dry before you encase them in your glass domes, otherwise you risk them going mouldy. I use my dried materials in vase arrangements. I don't spray them and find that they last months, if not years. I blast them with a hairdryer to blow away the dust every now and then. I have heard the people do spray their arrangements for longevity. I expect you can by a product online. For home use, I think hair spray works quite well. With dried materials you'll have to keep them out of direct sunlight so they don't fade. As I don't 'do' dried flowers commercially my advice is based on my own experience as a hobbyist dried flower arranger. Keep me posted as to how you get on 💐
as I’m also interested in moss preservation by glycerin but what about colour and life of preserved moss and I have learned that mix of glycerin and ethanol works wonders
Hi Sarah, I don't think you'll have much luck. Sorry. I think the petals will get 'weighed' down by your heavy glycerine mix. It's always worth a go though - how about experimenting with a couple of stems first? I'd love to hear how you get on
Hello, first of all, I like your efforts very much. I have a question: I want to shock the lavender plant. I want to dye it with glycerin at the same time. Can I get a good result if I add dye to the glycerin water in different colors? And at the same time, I want to produce a quality product. How do you think I should do it? Can you give me information please?
I haven't actually used dye with glycerine. I'd suggest you do a trail run with a small quantity of lavender. I expect you'll need a lot of dye to counteract the brown-ness of the glycerine process. Personally, I'd suggest that drying your lavender would be a better option Let me know how you get on 💜
Hi Jean, for small-leaved plant material I always put them in stalk only. The "norm" is to only place large leaves fully into your glycerine solution. The thing to do is to have a go with a single piece and see how you get on. Let me know what works best for you 🌱
You could try taking your foliage out of your glycerine mix when it's about 75% done. Then hang upside down to get gravity to trickle the glycerine to the tips of your foliage. If you leave them sitting, the glycerine 'sweats' out, which I think is the problem your describing. Good luck!
Julie I have a question, after doing the glycerin preservation process, can I use the preserved flowers into resin? Or I would have to "dry" the flowers after the glycerin process? I have some lovely glycerin-preserved flowers that I would love to put into resin, but I don't want the flowers to rot inside the resin because they had the glycerin with the water inside. Do you have any recommendation for me? Thanks so much for your time! ❤
I don't have an answer for you I'm afraid. As a child, I remember putting fresh flowers into resin to make jewellery and they seemed ok. The only way you'll know will be to do a trial with glycerine, fresh and dried materials.
I bought mine online (there's a link in the description box under the video). I have previously bought it in the chemist - you'll find it near thr cough medicines. So pleased you're enjoying my videos 😊
Do you ever smash the woody stems to encourage taking up the liquid ? I think I will try that. As a floral designer this is something we were always taught to do. However it has been years since I used glycerin to preserve. TY
Hi Mary Lou, I don't ever smash my woody stems as this is something we were specifically taught NOT to do when I trained as a florist. I guess advice changes over time. Personally, I think using boiling in your glycerine mix is enough to open up the vessels in your stems to encourage them to take up the liquid. You ought to give both methods a go - I'd love to hear how you get on 🍂
Hi Charnell, in my experience your plants always go a rich shade of brown. I guess you could experiment with spray painting them - I'm not sure how paint would react to the 'moistness' of your glycerine foliage. If you decide to add dye to your mix it would need to be quite strong to counteract the darkness of your materials once they've been preserved. I've never tried this either! If you have a go I'd be interested to hear how you get on 🌱
I'm afraid Claudia that I've never had any success with preserving berries this way. You could tray preserving the stems/leaves with glycerine and then wind fake berries onto them ... ;)
I'm trying to preserve leaves in glycerine. I researched a bit and stumbled upon your video. I understand that in humid temperatures, the glycerine will leak. Is there any way to seal it permanently?
Hi Nikhil, what a great question. My best guess at an answer is to say you need to take your stems out of the glycerine just at the point before they are fully preserved. That way there glycerine will continue moving through to the tips of your plant material, but won't leak out. If you're in a humid area perhaps you'll need to take your stems out earlier than me, to allow for your local atmospheric conditions. Fingers crossed that'll help 🌱
I don't have easy access to broadleaf ferns Diane, so I can't advise whether it would work. It's worth giving it a go though. Practice with a single frond and see how you get on.
Hi Madara, I've only ever tried bleaching plant materials once and it didn't work! I was inspired by a photo of bleached pine cones I'd seen on Pinterest. The cones didn't lighten in colour at all - perhaps mine were too thick/woody. The only thing I can suggest is to have a go with a few stems. Perhaps try put them into a vase of bleach, or lie them down in a bleach bath. Needless to say, you'll need to take extreme care with regard to the fumes, burning your hands and spoiling your clothes! I'd love to hear how you get on if you decide to experiment.
@@JulieDaviesFlowerStart yup. 12 hours immersed in ethanol with temps around 72. Then 24 hours to rehydrate/preserve in the glycerine solution. Little warmer for this step around 75. Make sure to add 1/2 tsp citric acid to the glycerin mixture per quart
Sometimes with the “woody” stems I slit the bottom stem with a knife to allow a larger Flo of the mixture. Especially with larger stems. Then use scissors on the smaller stems.
Great tip - thanks for sharing 🌱
I'm wanting use my fall Japanese Maple for our November Thanksgiving Day celebration and am encouraged by this video. Thank you so much for such clear directions and all the tips, based on your extensive experience.
You're welcome. Ideally you'd want to preserve your Japanese Maple in the early summer to use it for your Thanksgiving celebrations. If you're on Facebook I'd love to see photos of your Thanksgiving table - search for FlowerStart World
That sounds a good idea - I will let you know how I get on. Thanks
I am so excited the Japanese maple performed well! I have a deep burgundy one on my parents property that I love to arrange in a vase by itself in the fall, but it never lasts more than a few days each time. I’m going to try this method this year! 😁 I’ve seen some people add colour to the water when working with boxwoods to keep them green - do you think that would work for other varieties? Thank you for this detailed video!
So pleased that your Japanese maple worked so well! I've never used dye with my glycerine - but it's probably worth a go
You're so close to 1000! That's so exciting! You make this always look so easy! I want to learn more about growing and preserving flowers/greenery but I never seem to find the time. Watching you doing it is my consolation 😁
It takes ages to grow your channel doesn't it!! I know how much time I spend filming and editing, so like you, I know it's no easy task.
I found out that if you take a hammer and smash the stem, up a couple inches that it soaks it up quite nicely, woody stems do well when smashed before putting in glycerin solution
I've had a couple of people say that - I'm reluctant to try having been taught that hammering stems destroys their cell structure and stops them taking up water. Interesting to hear that it works well for you.
Hi Julie, thanks so much for the video, this was such great information! I was curious if you have had any luck using this method for fern leaves/branches?
I wonder whether your fern leaves will get too heavy and then flop over before the glycerine has done its job. You could try putting your glycerine mix in wide/shallow bowl and floating your ferns on top of the liquid (instead of standing them upright in it) instead.
I'm just researching ways to preserve dried plants, mostly moss, lichens and small leaves, and tiny flowers, and branches and twigs. I was wondering as you are a floral arrangement artist, is there anything you do for dried plants after they have dried naturally? Is there a spray that you use or a sealant? And how long do the floral arrangements last? I am looking for ways to make them last for many years. Most of my arrangements will be covered in glass domes or little enclosed spaces like jewelry lockets and glass jewelry boxes etc. Thank you for your help.
What a great question.
You'll need to make sure dried materials are really, really dry before you encase them in your glass domes, otherwise you risk them going mouldy.
I use my dried materials in vase arrangements. I don't spray them and find that they last months, if not years. I blast them with a hairdryer to blow away the dust every now and then.
I have heard the people do spray their arrangements for longevity. I expect you can by a product online. For home use, I think hair spray works quite well.
With dried materials you'll have to keep them out of direct sunlight so they don't fade.
As I don't 'do' dried flowers commercially my advice is based on my own experience as a hobbyist dried flower arranger.
Keep me posted as to how you get on 💐
as I’m also interested in moss preservation by glycerin but what about colour and life of preserved moss and I have learned that mix of glycerin and ethanol works wonders
I’ve been trying to preserve Queen Anne’s lace, any tips?
Hi Sarah, I don't think you'll have much luck. Sorry. I think the petals will get 'weighed' down by your heavy glycerine mix. It's always worth a go though - how about experimenting with a couple of stems first? I'd love to hear how you get on
Hello, first of all, I like your efforts very much. I have a question: I want to shock the lavender plant. I want to dye it with glycerin at the same time. Can I get a good result if I add dye to the glycerin water in different colors? And at the same time, I want to produce a quality product. How do you think I should do it? Can you give me information please?
I haven't actually used dye with glycerine. I'd suggest you do a trail run with a small quantity of lavender. I expect you'll need a lot of dye to counteract the brown-ness of the glycerine process.
Personally, I'd suggest that drying your lavender would be a better option
Let me know how you get on 💜
Would you put the entire plant under the mixture if you were going to use them to make a wreath?
Hi Jean, for small-leaved plant material I always put them in stalk only. The "norm" is to only place large leaves fully into your glycerine solution.
The thing to do is to have a go with a single piece and see how you get on.
Let me know what works best for you 🌱
We have tried preserving foliage in Australia any tips to stop the leaves from bleeding out through the leaves ??
You could try taking your foliage out of your glycerine mix when it's about 75% done. Then hang upside down to get gravity to trickle the glycerine to the tips of your foliage. If you leave them sitting, the glycerine 'sweats' out, which I think is the problem your describing. Good luck!
Julie I have a question, after doing the glycerin preservation process, can I use the preserved flowers into resin? Or I would have to "dry" the flowers after the glycerin process? I have some lovely glycerin-preserved flowers that I would love to put into resin, but I don't want the flowers to rot inside the resin because they had the glycerin with the water inside. Do you have any recommendation for me? Thanks so much for your time! ❤
I don't have an answer for you I'm afraid. As a child, I remember putting fresh flowers into resin to make jewellery and they seemed ok.
The only way you'll know will be to do a trial with glycerine, fresh and dried materials.
I have learned SO much from this channel & really enjoy the content! Thanks Julie! …oh and where does one buy glycerine?
I bought mine online (there's a link in the description box under the video). I have previously bought it in the chemist - you'll find it near thr cough medicines. So pleased you're enjoying my videos 😊
Amazon. About 25 to 30 dollars for a gallon. Please avoid the glycerin derived from palm oil, but other than that, any vegetable glycerin. Food grade.
Do you ever smash the woody stems to encourage taking up the liquid ? I think I will try that. As a floral designer this is something we were always taught to do. However it has been years since I used glycerin to preserve. TY
Hi Mary Lou, I don't ever smash my woody stems as this is something we were specifically taught NOT to do when I trained as a florist. I guess advice changes over time.
Personally, I think using boiling in your glycerine mix is enough to open up the vessels in your stems to encourage them to take up the liquid.
You ought to give both methods a go - I'd love to hear how you get on 🍂
Can you keep the plants green or must they get brown
Also can you paint them or dye them green?
Hi Charnell, in my experience your plants always go a rich shade of brown.
I guess you could experiment with spray painting them - I'm not sure how paint would react to the 'moistness' of your glycerine foliage.
If you decide to add dye to your mix it would need to be quite strong to counteract the darkness of your materials once they've been preserved. I've never tried this either!
If you have a go I'd be interested to hear how you get on 🌱
How would you suggest is the best way to preserve the hawthorn berries on the stems?
I'm afraid Claudia that I've never had any success with preserving berries this way. You could tray preserving the stems/leaves with glycerine and then wind fake berries onto them ... ;)
I'm trying to preserve leaves in glycerine. I researched a bit and stumbled upon your video. I understand that in humid temperatures, the glycerine will leak. Is there any way to seal it permanently?
Hi Nikhil, what a great question. My best guess at an answer is to say you need to take your stems out of the glycerine just at the point before they are fully preserved. That way there glycerine will continue moving through to the tips of your plant material, but won't leak out. If you're in a humid area perhaps you'll need to take your stems out earlier than me, to allow for your local atmospheric conditions. Fingers crossed that'll help 🌱
Have you used this method with broadleaf ferns?
I don't have easy access to broadleaf ferns Diane, so I can't advise whether it would work. It's worth giving it a go though. Practice with a single frond and see how you get on.
@@JulieDaviesFlowerStart Thanks, I;ll give it a go!
@@DianneCulbertsonJacques Did it work?
Hello!
Do you have any comments or suggestions about bleaching greenery?
Thank you in advance! :)
Hi Madara, I've only ever tried bleaching plant materials once and it didn't work! I was inspired by a photo of bleached pine cones I'd seen on Pinterest. The cones didn't lighten in colour at all - perhaps mine were too thick/woody. The only thing I can suggest is to have a go with a few stems. Perhaps try put them into a vase of bleach, or lie them down in a bleach bath. Needless to say, you'll need to take extreme care with regard to the fumes, burning your hands and spoiling your clothes! I'd love to hear how you get on if you decide to experiment.
I would try medical grade ethanol
@@transplantedtex4151 great stuff - have you used it before?
@@JulieDaviesFlowerStart yup. 12 hours immersed in ethanol with temps around 72. Then 24 hours to rehydrate/preserve in the glycerine solution. Little warmer for this step around 75. Make sure to add 1/2 tsp citric acid to the glycerin mixture per quart
If you add food coloring you can make your product any color you like.
How can I. Preserve fresh white sage
I think drying would be the best option.
Has anyone ever tried preserving holly using this method?
I've never tried Anita. If you give it a go, you'll have to report back!