What is the process of Freeze Dying?
Flowers are placed in the chamber of a freeze dry machine where the temperature is lowered to -30°. After 24 hours everything has frozen solid, and the air is pumped out to create a vacuum. Within this vacuum, moisture from the frozen flowers will slowly vaporize. This process is called sublimation. The moisture vapors are collected into a second smaller chamber of the freeze dryer called the ice bank. The temperature is raised several degrees a day and after approximately 4 weeks the flowers are dried. This is a slow process that cannot be rushed. The flowers are either sprayed or dipped with a polymer chemical to prevent moisture penetration and to add to the durability of the flowers. The result is beautifully preserved flowers.
