Everyone knows dried heather flowers, roses, asters and the like. They are no longer a special feature in dried bouquets. What about the ornamental onion? Is it suitable for drying?

Dried ornamental onion is a delicate dried flower

How to properly dry the ornamental onion

Dry the ornamental onion by first cutting off the inflorescences. Use a pair of simple secateurs to do this. If you want a large bouquet of dried flowers, it is best to cut off the flower stalks right at the base.

If there are several inflorescences, they are then tied together with string or raffia. Now they are hung in a suitable place, upside down. The place for drying should be airy and shaded. The ornamental onion is usually dry after 2 weeks. It has lasted for many years now.

Star bulb leeks - ideal for drying

The so-called star bulb leek is ideal for dried bouquets. He convinces with:

  • its large flower balls (up to 25 cm)
  • its purple flower color
  • its metallic sheen
  • its star-shaped individual flowers
  • hardly changes its appearance when drying

Cut at the right time

Be sure to cut off the flowers for drying bouquets at the right time! Pruning should be done as soon as the individual flowers are all open. Do not wait too long! Most ornamental onion plants flower from May.

Seed pods look nice too

The seeds of the ornamental onion also look nice when dried. Here you need to keep in mind that when ripe, the seeds like to fall out and scatter around the house. But the seeds don't just look good indoors. You can also leave the seed head on the plant. It provides decorative aspects in autumn and winter.

Dry the onions?

The bulbs of the ornamental onions should not be dried. If you dig up the bulbs in autumn and want to plant them again in spring, you should store them in a box - preferably in sand - during the winter. Dried or severely shriveled onions are no longer suitable for planting.

tips

Be sure to ventilate the room where the ornamental onion is drying regularly! This reduces the risk of mold growth.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Indoor plants