How to Preserve Flowers With Borax

Flowers often whither and tend to lose their vibrant colors during the drying process. Using Borax to preserve flowers, will conserve their delicate color and prevent them from shrinking and shriveling as they do when dried in the conventional manner.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fresh flowers
• Scissors or garden shears
• Large bowl
• Borax
• Cornmeal
• Small box with lid
• Storage container with lid

1. Cut the flowers. Trim the stem if you like, and any leaves or petals you wish to remove before beginning.

2. In a large bowl, mix together 2 parts borax to 1 part cornmeal. You will need enough of the borax and cornmeal mixture to completely cover the flowers.

3. Sprinkle a layer of the borax and cornmeal mixture on the bottom of a box. Place your flowers carefully in the box, making sure that the flowers don't touch.

4. Cover the flowers carefully with the mixture and place the lid on the box.

5. Place the box in a safe location where it will not be disturbed. The box should remain at room temperature for 10 to 14 days. Drying time will depend on the type of flower you are trying to preserve. For example, thick flowers such as carnations or roses will probably take about two weeks, while more delicate flowers such as honeysuckle or daisies will probably only need about 10 days.

6. Pour the powder mixture carefully into a storage container with a tight fitting lid for future use. Remove your preserved flowers.

Tips & Warnings

• Preserving flowers with borax works best with flowers cut fresh from your garden. They may need more time if they have been placed in preservatives. If you are preserving store-bought flowers with borax, soak them in water for 20 minutes and allow them to dry thoroughly before beginning. Add at least four days to the drying time for best results.