How Silica Gel Deal with Moisture Problems in Drying flower Industries
Gone are the days, when one dried aesthetically beautiful flowers inside their books or diaries. We become so enthralled by the beauty of some flowers that we want to preserve them before they wilt and die. But does a flattened flower appeal you as much as a fresh and upright flower? We bet it doesn’t. In this article, we will discuss a marvellous technique used in the flower industries in preserving and drying flowers using silica gel.
As you already know, silica moisture absorbing packets are an excellent desiccant moisture absorber. Generally, the desiccant used of flower drying is made by combining a mixture of blue indicating silica gel and white non-indicating silica gel.
How to use silica gel for drying flower?
Ensure that the petal of the flowers that are chosen for the drying process have no water in them. An airtight container is taken and silica gel for drying flowers is placed at the bottom of them to hold the flower stem. Before placing the flowers, their stems must be trimmed. Flowers are then placed upright above the drying agent silica gel. Long flowers can be laid as such whereas flat flowers must be placed facedown. The silica gel is gently poured over the flowers. It is ensured that each petal is covered in silica gel for a perfect and intact shape of flowers post the drying process. The silica gel is poured until the flower layer is completely covered.
Next, the air-tight container is sealed and moved to a secure and stable place without tilting the content. The time taken for the drying process depends on the type of flower. It may take up to 6days or even more in some cases.
Firstly, the top of the air contained in gently. Next, the silica gel content is gently poured out until the flower layer begins to show up. Now the flowers are removed one by one and gently shook to remove any silica gel residuals. Once all the flowers are taken out, for long-term storage purposes, a new air-tight container is taken and a thin layer of the drying agent silica gel is placed at the bottom. The dried and intact flowers and gently placed over the silica gel layer inside the storage container and sealed for future use.
This silica gel flower drying process is also known as embedded drying. Flowers generally used in this method include baby’s breath, bachelor’s button, cosmos, dahlia, daisy, rose, pansy, etc.
Advantages of silica gel desiccant for flower drying or embedded drying:
- Maintenance of the original shape.
- Preserve and dry very delicate flowers.
- Overcoming Petal shrinkage problems.
