skip to main content

Garden & Flower Crafts

glycerine or antifreeze as preservative?

21 years ago

There's a post obout using pink or blue antifreeze instead of glycerine to preserve greens, and I wanted to know whether the antifreeze works as well and whether it changes the color of the leaves. Has anyone tried the antifreeze method?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Posie
21 years ago
Yes, have tried it and it didn't work as well for me. It is much cheaper....so would be worth a try. DO BE VERY CAREFUL......pets seem to like the taste but it is a deadly poison for them as well as children.
isabelbc
21 years ago
Second the caution about pets and antifreeze. Works, but the colour isn't as nice as glycerine,and the plant material is a bit more brittle.
Related Discussions
Preserving and gilding blueberry bush leaves
Q
Comments (0)
Hi, I am donating centerpieces for 40 tables at an upcoming charity fundraiser. The centerpieces will incorporate gilded branches/leaves from some low lying wild blueberry bushes that I have growing in my back yard. Before I go and cut 150+ branches, I want to make sure I'll be able to successfully preserve and gild the branches and leaves. I have read about the glycerin solution method. Will this work for blueberry bushes? There are lots and lot of leaves on each branch. And once they are preserved, can you help me with the best method to paint them gold? Spray painting will work, but I will be wasting a lot of paint. Is there a way to "dip" the branches? And, what is the best gold paint to use? Thanks in advance for this. As I am donating the centerpieces, I want to make sure I have a solid plan so that I don't waste $$ experimenting. Sue
...See More
pink or blue antifreeze as glycerine alternative?
Q
Comments (19)
You can save and reuse the glycerine. My druggist ordered a quart for me over 10 years ago and it's discolored a little but still works. It sometimes will get a little mold in it or leafy bits...just pour thru sieve. Keep in labeled bottle well capped. Also, it's important to use very warm water and stir well before adding your material. I'm not sure why, but most books mention this...it must aid in the plant taking up the solution more quickly. If I submerge Ivy or individual leaves, I rinse well with warm water after I remove them. Otherwise I just rinse the stems which were in the solution. One caution: don't store the plants preserved with glycerine in airtight container. A cardboard box with airholes is okay. I use wax paper or tinfoil between each layer. It's also a good idea not to store in same container as your material dried without glycerine. jo
...See More
have you guys ever try to preserve the flowers
Q
Comments (5)
I live close to Disneyworld and the Polynesian resort has a lot of Plumeria trees on the property. Well my roommate has an obsession with them and has gotten me quite obsessed myself. I picked a few blooms and took them home but I forgot to take them out of my truck, leaving them on my dashboard. They stayed in my truck for about a day in the sun and the next morning for work I noticed they had shriveled up and dried out. They shrunk in size but their color and fragrance were preserved. This is the best way I found to preserve the blooms. I've tried pressing them but in doing that it tends to make the petals paper thin and they turned a bit brown as well. I've taken to drying them in the car with natural heat works best and I've now got quite enough to use as homemade potpourri. Hope this is helpful for you. They look awesome and definitely bring a nice touch to my home decor. And it's been pretty fun for my nieces to do when they come to visit
...See More
Dry Rot and Antifreeze
Q
Comments (2)
Antifreeze is extraordinarily poisonous and at the same time attractive to animals like pets and small mammals. If you've removed and replaced the wood, do you have to do anything? Or if you feel you do, then maybe some other wood preservative. Though, I grant you, most are fairly nasty things. Antifreeze is ethylene gylcol, which is what the Chinese put in toothpaste and OTC medicines and it wound up killing kids. Have you looked at John Leeke's publications about dealing with degraded wood? You can find them at www.historichomeworks.com. He's in Maine and he makes housecalls, IRRC, and his old house forum has some really knowledgeable people on it. Molly~
...See More
erasmus_gw
Original Author
21 years ago
On the dried flowers forum I've asked this question and had mixed replies. Some said Low-tox antifreeze is ok, but one person who appears very informed said that even low-tox is hazardous to handle and will also bleed out of the plants in six months. So I wanted to add his cautionary opinion.
GoProgest
20 years ago
Antifreeze is HIGHLY TOXIC to EVERYONE & EVERYTHING! Please don't use it in this way. We allow so many things into our lives today we don't have a clue as to the effects they have. Immediate or accumulative. Antifreeze is only one of them. Glycerine is safe.
Judy
Posie
20 years ago
I've used both, the anti-freeze and the glycerin. Both of them work but the glycerin works much better and faster. A florist can order the glycerin by the gallon so that it would be much cheaper for you. And yes, the antiii-freeze is poison. Animals seem to be attracted to it so do be careful.

Related Stories

GREEN BUILDING Water Sense for Big Savings

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Keep dollars in your pocket and preserve a precious resource with these easy DIY strategies

EDIBLE GARDENS Why Grow Quince? For Beauty, Fragrance and Old-Time Flavor

By Marianne Lipanovich

Delightfully perfumed fruit and lovely spring blossoms make this apple and pear cousin worth a spot in the garden

DECORATING PROJECTS Fill a Blank Wall on a Beer Budget

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Tap your fabric bin, photo box or any kid for art that’s easy, personal and hecka cheap

LIFE How to Prepare for and Live With a Power Outage

By Lisa Frederick

When electricity loss puts food, water and heat in jeopardy, don't be in the dark about how to stay as safe and comfortable as possible

Sponsored

More Discussions

Best Privacy Screen for the Garden

0