Making Liquid Potpourri

Once flowers wilt, you can recycle their petals into simmering potpourri.

Potpourri, a fragrant blend of flowers, herbs and other ingredients, is an attractive natural alternative to chemical air fresheners. Liquid, dry and gel potpourri can be purchased commercially at most gift stores but tend to be expensive. However, you can easily and inexpensively recycle wilted flower petals into potpourri that you can simmer at home.

Things You'll Need

• Fragrant, wilted flower petals
• Salt
• Bay leaves
• Fragrant dried herbs
• Spices
• Eucalyptus leaves
• Citrus peel
• Mortar and pestle
• Microplane
• Empty jar with lid
• Ribbon or string
• Cheesecloth
• Large rock or other weight
• Slow cooker

Instructions

1. Layer flower petals with salt in a large slow cooker. Use 1 cup of salt for every 3 cups of tightly packed petals. Continue layering until the pot is two-thirds full.

2. Weigh the mixture down and leave it in a dark, dry and cool place for two to six weeks. You can add more petals as they become available, but be sure to stir the mixture before you do.

3. Empty the aged petals onto a clean surface. They should be dried and caked. Break the petals into smaller pieces.

4. Grind or grate spices to add to the potpourri blend using a microplane or a mortar and pestle. Freshly ground spices are more fragrant than pre-ground spices bought at the supermarket. Spice blends that work well are cinnamon, cassia, cloves and mace; cloves, allspice, mace and cassia; and cardamom, cinnamon, anise and fennel.

5. Layer your petals and spices in a jar with other ingredients, such as citrus peel, eucalyptus, bay leaves and herbs. Add about one-half tablespoon of dried herbs and 1 ounce total of other ingredients for every cup of petals. For a spicier scent, add more spices.

6. Place two tablespoons of potpourri in a pot, and cover it with two or more cups of water.

7. Simmer the potpourri, checking on the pot every few minutes to make sure the water doesn't evaporate completely.

8. Cover the remaining dry potpourri in your jar. This will preserve the scent for a longer period of time so you can simmer it when you like.

Tips & Warnings

• Collect flower petals and herbs when they are wilted, but still fragrant. Choose fragrances that blend well together. Flowers commonly used in potpourri are roses, carnations, hibiscus, violets, sunflowers and lavender.

• Fragrant herbs that work well in potpourri are chamomile, lavender, thyme, sage and rosemary.

References

• Phancy Pages: How to Make Your Own Liquid Potpourri and Other Good Stuff
• Easy Homemade Recipes: Easy and inexpensive recipes to make your own fresh scented simmering potpourri