Stop mixing fresh eucalyptus into your dried arrangements right before a show

I went to a workshop last month where the instructor threw in fresh seeded eucalyptus with dried lavender and strawflowers. Within 3 days the eucalyptus had shriveled and dropped leaves all over my display. The moisture from the fresh stems actually made the dried lavender stems go soft and start to mold near the base. Has anyone else dealt with this issue where fresh and dried materials just can't share the same vase for more than a couple days?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade27120d ago

Read a floral design blog that said fresh stems release ethylene gas. That gas speeds up aging in dried flowers. Makes sense why the lavender stems went soft and moldy near the base. Separate vases from now on, even for short displays.

spencer19920d ago

dude YES, 100% this. I had the exact same thing happen with my dried eucalyptus last fall. I bought a fresh bouquet of roses and stuck them in the same vase as my dried eucalyptus stems thinking it would look cool and rustic. a week later the eucalyptus was all soft and droopy near the water line, and it smelled musty too. I had no idea about the ethylene gas thing back then, i just thought i bought bad dried plants. it's so frustrating because you think you're saving space or making a cute display but you're literally ruining the dried stuff. now i keep my dried flowers in a completely different room from any fresh ones. never again.