Receive a bouquet of peonies It's always a nice touch. However, if you like flowers, you don't need to wait for others to give them to you either, you can treat yourself and buy the bouquet that you like best. It is sure to brighten up your home or workplace.
Whatever their origin, peonies-based bouquets are so beautiful that we all feel sorry that they end up spoiling. For this reason, today I am going to tell you how to preserve their natural beauty for as long as possible, and what you can do afterwards to dry the flowers and continue enjoying how beautiful they are.
Tips for preserving a bouquet of peonies
Growing and caring for a peony plant at home It is something that can give you great joy. But receiving a bouquet of flowers is something that has a special charm.
Regarding the bouquet of peonies, this It is usually associated with love, happiness and beauty.. It is a romantic gesture, but it can also be a nice gesture of friendship, to wish the best to whoever receives this present.
If you have been lucky enough to receive a bouquet of peonies, or you have given it to yourself, now that you have it at home, you surely want it to last as long as possible.
All the peonies are very delicate flowers once they are separated from the plant, but with a few simple precautions we will be able to enjoy their natural beauty for a little longer.
Remove the paper and other accessories
The bouquets of flowers usually come very well decorated. Wrapped in a more or less striking paper and with a bow. It is even possible that some other decorative element is added to them. Although all this is very beautiful, it is not useful for the conservation of the bouquet.
Start by carefully removing all these elements and leave the flowers alone. Now, find a vase where you can accommodate them.
Change the water and cut the stems
The water in which we put the flowers, be they peonies or another variety, usually develop bacteria that accelerate the decomposition of the flower. This occurs because that water is stagnant and fills up with waste and microorganisms.
It is advisable to change the water in your bouquets of peonies every two days. In fact, if you dare to do it daily, much better.
If you see that there are remains of leaves or petals in the vase, remove them, because if they start to decompose they will contaminate the water much more quickly.
Take advantage every time you go to change the water to cut the stem of the flowers a little. You don't have to do this daily or you'll soon run out of stems, but you should do it every other day. What you get by removing between two and three centimeters of the stem is improve nutrient and water uptake by the flower, thereby extending its life.
Choose the location of your bouquet of peonies well
The peony plant withstands warm temperatures well, but not excessive heat, and the same is true of its flowers. Put the bouquet in a place where receive natural light, but not in a way that is too direct.
Prolonged exposure to heat and sunlight will cause the flowers to wilt much faster. So don't put them next to the window or near a radiator.
Be careful handling
In general, the less we touch a bouquet of peonies, the better. But we have already seen that for its conservation we have to change the water and cut the stems, so we are going to have to touch the flowers even if we don't want to.
It is advisable in these cases to do it with all possible care. We will take the flowers by the stem and we will refrain from squeezing the petals, because this can seriously damage the flower and accelerate its decay process.
Remove flowers that have already dried
Dried flowers produce ethylene, which is not good for those who are still well. If you notice that any of the peonies has dried up before the rest, remove it immediately.
Precisely to safeguard your flowers from the harmful effects of ethylene gas, try not to have them near other flowers and fruits. Because this gas accelerates the aging process and it makes the peony bouquet last less than it should.
How to dry a bouquet of peonies?
If you want to enjoy the beauty of peonies for much longer, what you can do is dry them. For a good result, don't wait for the flowers to start to wilt, do it with flowers that have firm petals and no spots.
I briefly tell you two ways to carry out the process:
Air dry a bouquet of peonies
- Select the flowers.
- Shake them well to remove insects or any remaining soil.
- Cut the stem a little.
- Tie tightly with gardening twine between three and five flowers.
- Hang the bouquet upside down in a dark, warm, and well-ventilated location. Try not to receive direct sunlight.
- Let dry for several weeks until you see that the petals look dry and are crisp to the touch.
- Open the petals very carefully and store them in a cool, dry place.
drying peonies with silica gel
Silica gel is a desiccant and dehumidifying product that will help you speed up the drying process of the peonies. You can easily find it in drugstores and online stores. Once you have it, follow these steps:
- Get an airtight container (best is a tupperware) that has enough space to accommodate the flowers without touching each other.
- Fill the bottom of that container with a layer of silica gel.
- Place the flowers on top of that layer, avoiding the petals rubbing against each other.
- Sprinkle more gel over the flowers until they are completely covered. Do it very carefully so as not to damage them.
- Close the container and let it dry for at least a week.
- When they are ready, carefully remove them from the silica gel.
Keep and until dry bouquet of peonies It is something much simpler than is usually believed. I encourage you to put these tips into practice and tell me through the comments section how it went for you.