Caring for your Freeze Dried Rose Petals
Thank you for choosing Petal Garden for the finest quality freeze dried rose petals available. Please inspect your order upon receipt to ensure you received the proper color and quantity, and call or email us immediately if you have any questions or concerns. Color variations are normal in petals as they are a natural product. The petals tend to settle during shipping, however, if you pour them into a larger container, you will find they fill out a larger volume. The petals are shipped in plastic bags with a desiccant enclosed to keep them fresh and dry, so they can be quite brittle in this stage. If you are using them for table decoration, they will be fine as they are. If you are using them for tossing or anything else where they will be handled, you can soften them some.
To soften petals
The easiest way to soften the petals is to open the bag and place them in the bathroom while taking a shower. They will absorb the steam and become slightly softer and more pliable, but do not get them wet. The petals can remain in the opened bag, they do not need to be spread out. The length of an average shower should be sufficient. This procedure can be done within a few days before the event if the air is humid. If the air is dry, you can help prevent the petals from drying out again by removing the desiccant (if included) and closing the bag. Please keep in mind that they will not become as soft as a fresh petal.
Storage
Freeze Dried Rose Petals do not need to be kept cold or frozen, room temperature is appropriate. After you inspect your shipment, the petals should be stored in a dry (below 40% relative humidity), dark place until your event. Storing them in their bags and inside the shipping box is the best way to accomplish this. When stored properly, the petals will look their best. Over time, the petals will fade in color, most notably with lighter colors. However, with proper care, they will hold their color many months, even a year or more for some colors.
Using your petals
Under normal use, freeze dried rose petals are much less likely to stain than fresh petals, but still use caution. In situations where dark colored petals become wet and are pressed into light colored fabrics, stains are possible. If placing them in water, do so as close to the event time as possible as they will re-absorb water over time and will begin to lose their shape and color.
