Drying Sedum flowers : the results
Thank you for your patience.
Yep. That is the sort of thing one ought to say after almost two weeks without news.
I have been travelling.
More anon.
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMG_5949-1-768x1024.jpeg)
First of all I must report back on my autumn experiment.
Can one dry sedum flowers? Or are they even flowers? Probably bracts.
And I wanted to give you a quick summary. I tried the lot.
Picked and plonked in water.
Picked and preserved in a solution of glycerine and water.
Picked and dried.
Picked and dried upside down in the dark.
Picked and dried upside down in the light.
Here is the result…..
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_6445-768x1024.jpeg)
Drum roll please.
Nothing works.
Nothing works well enough to make me want to try again.
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_7003-1024x768.jpeg)
Here are the flowers that were dried in a dark room. Quite bleached of colour. Except for the dead black fly in the vases.
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_7008-1024x768.jpeg)
Here are the ones in the mix of glycerine and water. In the potting shed, so with a bit more light.
Note tremendously happy black fly. And manky water.
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_6981-1024x768.jpeg)
I can’t even contemplate picking up the slimy stems to now flip them upside down to dry.
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_6442-2-1024x768.jpeg)
The least worst tip is to do them upside down in the light.
No water, no black fly.
But I can’t say they make a stellar sight. No matter how hard you try.
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_7056-768x1024.jpeg)
They just aren’t worth the effort.
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IMG_5794-768x1024.jpeg)
So I would say – photograph like mad when they are in flower.
Cram them into every single bouquet when you can.
![](https://www.fruitfulresearch.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_7014-1024x768.jpeg)
And leave them to fade gracefully in the garden.
And wait until autumn next year for their glorious rose madder hue.
Gad, I really wished they worked.
8th November 2022 @ 3:55 pm
It seems that the blackfly really enjoyed your experiments…. yuk!
8th November 2022 @ 4:39 pm
I was not amused!!!!