Before setting it out to dry, I like to remove the leaves. You must do this very carefully as the leaves have little pickey things all around the edges. It really hurts if you stick your finger with them!
Once I remove all the leaves, I just stick them in a tall container and set them on the garage shelf. In about two weeks they should be good and dry and I will then paint them gold.
They just may end up crowning one of my Christmas trees this year -- If they do, I will certainly show you how they turned out.
Such a smarty pants you are Zoey! I have to grow these next year.
ReplyDeleteI was just going to ask that you show us the results when you offered, so terrific. What else do you dry? How about hydrangeas? I've had luck with the mopheads lasting at least a year if I hang them upside down, but I'm not sure about the best time to cut them for drying. Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThey would love you at the Brandywine River Museum where they do 'natural' trees every year.
ReplyDeleteYour rearranging looks nice too. I am going to start putting my garden stuff away in a few weeks so I won't be doing it at the last minute like I do every year. Brian cleaned out the shed and there is actually room for everything this year!
takoma, I don't dry anything else. I only do these because they are so easy and they don't get brittle and make a mess. I know hydrangas dry nicely as my sister has dried hers, but not sure exactly when to cut them. Maybe someone else will pop in and answer that one???
ReplyDeleteDianne, I, too, am vowing to get things done early this year (like cutting down the majority of the gardens so I don't have to do it all in the spring. If the weather holds out, I might get it done. Once it gets cold, I don't enjoy working outside!
One of the gardening magazines just this summer talked about hydrageas. I usually just hang them somewhere until they are dry to the touch. I'll have to look through my pile of magazines here to see what they said.
ReplyDeleteI love your labels, Zoey!! I have been going thru your labels and having a warm time looking at all the flowers!
ReplyDelete