Creating your homemade potpourri is a nice way to perfume your home using natural elements such as flowers or various plants that you have dried carefully. Some aromas persist for several weeks to offer you a refreshing cocktail that will benefit all residents of the house.
Make a DIY potpourri
The creation of a potpourri is really simple! Just dry your plants and arrange them in a nice container. However, the choice of some scented plants or barks is more interesting than others. The moment of picking remains a decisive moment for the success and especially the duration of your potpourri in time.
Equipment needed:
Fresh flowers, aromatic herbs, fruit peel ...
Basket for harvest
Secateur
Baking paper
Decorative container
Potpourri Source
The choice of your flowers, spices, plants or barks is your own according to your desires. You can also dry fruit peelings such as oranges or lemons. It all depends on what you prefer, a rather woody or rather fruity aroma.
Let's go !
Step 1: Picking
This is the most important phase of the realization of your potpourri because it is the picking that will depend on the aromas that will emerge from your container. Scented plants and barks, you will understand are essential elements for the realization of a potpourri. Lily of the valley, lavender, lilac and rose are examples of fragrant flowers. Herbs can also do the trick: laurel, mint, rosemary or thyme are plants that give off a lot of scent. Remember that some fruits such as lemon or oranges can also be quite suitable.
Know also that some plants can take place in your composition even if they are not odorous. Remember that the potpourri is also a decorative element personalized to your taste! A coconut bark or flowers particularly beautiful flat like daisies or exotic flowers are also welcome.
Step 2: Drying
For drying, two methods are available to you. The first is fast, the second allows time to do things. It's up to you to choose what you prefer. For quick drying, your oven will be your ally and offers you a precious time saving! Place the components of your potpourri on the baking sheet and cover them with a sheet of parchment paper. Opt for "cooking" at 100 ° C for about an hour. Keep a close eye on the progress of this step.
For slow drying, just let the flowers dry in the open air. Cover a container with absorbent paper preferably and allow the plants to dry for a week in a dry, dark and ventilated place. Choose a container large enough to fit all your containers without overlapping them. Small tip to avoid mold: shake them or return them every day!
Step 3: Compose your potpourri
Finally, your content is ready! All that's missing is the container. In order to have a beautiful visual effect, consider choosing an original container such as a large dish or a jar. Your potpourri is ready to embalm your room gently, and it is beautiful since you did it yourself. To accentuate the fragrance or refresh after a few days, you can add a few drops of essential oils!
Know that wood and bark are odor scavengers and will make your pot last longer. In this category, you will find citrus peels but also patchouli, cedar and sandalwood.
Congratulations on your homemade potpourri!
Do not forgot to add some potpourri refresher oils regularly.