Flower drying crystals are comprised of very fine (0.3-0.85mm) white non-indicating silica gel and orange indicating silica gel beads. The small bead size is beneficial to the flower drying process as it has less of a physical impact on delicate flowers. As a guide 2.5kg will do 6 open roses. The orange indicating silica gel will turn green when the beads have reached their full adsorption capacity. This allows the user to easily identify when the silica gel needs to be reactivated. You can find various methods online about the drying process. Always keep your crystals well sealed as they will absorb moisture. Compared to air drying, silica gel retains much more vibrant colours in flowers petals and ensures they are moisture free and they won’t interfere with the epoxy curing process. The silica gel beads come with indicator beads once the indicator beads change to green that means the crystals needs drying out again.This can simply be done in the oven making the beads ready to use again. Spread flower drying crystals on a tray and place in an oven at 115°C to 125°C for approximately 2-3 hours or until beads turn orange again. Once the crystals have been reactivated, remove from oven and let cool until able to handle. Store in a sealed container until ready to use.
