# How to Preserve Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses are a natural way to beautify your property. Drying and preserving flowers and ornamental grasses was a popular part of home décor during Victorian times. Dried plant arrangements are making a comeback today, as many interior decorators encourage their clients to enjoy an element of the outdoors inside their homes. Drying and preserving ornamental grasses is a great way to allow nature to inspire your own creativity as you decorate your home.
Things You'll Need
- Pruner or sharp knife
- Gardening gloves
- Boxes or airtight containers
- Twine
- Warm, dark, dry place for drying
- Hairspray, or spray lacquer or shellac
- Mild detergent
Instructions
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1
Select healthy portions of the plants, free of insect infestation.
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2
Cut the grasses with a pruner or sharp knife. Put the stems in water as you are cutting more stems.
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3
Cut more plants than you want, in case any portions should become damaged.
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4
Wash any cones or pods with water and mild detergent, as needed.
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5
Tie the plants in small bundles at the stem ends and hang upside-down in a warm, dark, dry place.
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6
Spray hairspray, spray lacquer or shellac onto parts such as cattails or fragile seed heads once the plants have dried, to maintain their appearance and prevent breakage.
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7
Store dried grasses in boxes or airtight containers until you are ready to use them (airtight containers offer protection against rodents and insects).
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