OK, it wasn't Martha Stewart but it was some other interior decorating woman on the tube the other day...

Just to explain, I injured my shoulder last week and finally went to the doctor this week when the soreness didn't go away. I dozed off in front of the tube in a haze of painkillers and muscle relaxers ... when I woke up later this show was on. I was looking for the remote, when this gal starts giving tips on how to preserve fall foliage for centerpieces and other indoor uses... Hmmmmmmm...

She used glycerine (not nitroglycerine, but the stuff they sell over the counter at the drug store) in some kind of mix (I missed the recipe). She soaked the leaves, flowers, branches, etc., in the stuff and used them for her decorations. They remained supple and didn't fall apart.

In a rare moment of clarity, I remembered an old "Ask Sarge" column in a 1970s issue of Military Modeler (back when it was good). IIRC, Sarge's recipe was 50% glycerine and 50% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.

A want to come up with something to help preserve the little plants, lichens, mosses, weeds and flowers I collect outdoors to use in my dios. Without a preservative, they become brittle and eventually fall apart.

Has anyone on this forum ever preserved plants with glycerine -- or any other relatively safe chemical?

most likely was Martha. God I hate that Women.The old lady watches her and I don't know why but I just hate her. They sell a lot of this stuff in Hobby lobby to help cure plants. And yes the Military Modeler Mags were Great still have about 70 or so. Remember when scale modler was about te same. I have used Glycerine before on Lichen but before and after you cleaned the stuff used acetone to remove water from plants then a mixture of acetone and glycerine was heated OUTSIDE to a low heat as acetone is Flammable lichen added for a few minutes removed with tongs and left on either newspaper or screen to dry. I have stuff done about 10 years still soft. Actually acetone makes it so glycerine absorbs into the lichen and displaces the water inside with glycerine. then just keep adding glycerin and acetone to get mixture the same. every few years take a spray bottle and add a little acetone and glycerine and refresh.

Kids don't try this without MOM or POP watching

hmmmmmmmm maybe i should stop watching Jerry Springer

I have tried glycerine, but wasn't happy with the results... Probably I did something wrong. Anyways being a chemist/biologist I fiddled a bit with drying natural plants and found another way. So this is what I do:

Borax (sodium borate) is the name of the stuff. I believe you can find it in drugstores or pharmacies. It is a hydrophilic powder that "drags" the water out of the plant. You just put the plant in the box or something and fill it with the powder. After a few weeks, the plant is completely dry, holds its shape and is green... I have tried it and it works. Great stuff.

Hope this helps,
Mario M.

Now Mario, don't you go sniffin that stuff. But if you do and it works cut me in on the profits will ya?

Jack

Don't worry Captain, it isn't addictive. I can stop anytime... and I mean it.. Now just let me go to the bathroom to freshen up and powder my nose. I'll be back in a jiffy...

Mario M.

Now that's funny Power your nose LOL

Yeah, I thought that was good too!! Just don't powder your toes, unless you've got athletes foot.; C'mon Jack, (slap, slap) "Let's get serious man. I mean are you a modeller or what??"

Now look where did the conversation about drying plants go... on powdering my nose and preserving toes... :-) What example do we give to all those newbies here... Man this is the wackiest bunch of people I know on the net.

Mario M.