Frequently Asked Questions

The 3 FAQ sections are:

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Care and Use of Freeze Dried Petals

What Quantity of Petals do I need?

You will have seen that we do NOT sell Freeze Dried Petals by weight. There is a very, very good reason for this - they weigh almost nothing at all! (Remember freeze drying really does get rid of ALL the moisture - if you buy air dried or fresh petals by the kilo, you will mainly be paying for water!) We therefore sell our freeze dried petals by volume - by the “cup” or litre. A single “cup” is an easy measure to visualize since it is usually one good handful of petals, whereas an 8 cup bag is roughly equivalent to 1.5 litres - that is, 8 cups fill a 1.5 litre jug.

Our basic Petal measure is an “8 cup” bag, which equates to around 14 grams in weight (1 oz.), and around 200 petals in number. We always weigh the petals when we package them and we count the contents of a random sample every 20 to 30 bags to make sure that we maintain consistency. Petals vary enormously in weight, density and size so all these measures are necessarily approximate.

In our Quantity Recommendations, we either tell you what you can get out of our normal, 1.5 litre bag OR we express quantities in terms of the number of cups. If this is confusing in any way, just drop us a line - we will answer you in a drop of a hat!

The quantities we recommend, are as follows:

  • Flower Girls - 4 cups .. that is half of one 1.5ltr bag to fill a little basket
  • Confetti Cones - about half a cup per cone .. that is, roughly 16 cones per 8 cup bag
  • Table for 6, with centre floral arrangement - use an 8 cup bag for three tables
  • Pathway or Aisle - light scattering - use 3 cups per square metre
  • Pathway or Aisle - medium scattering - use 6 cups per square metre
  • Pathway or Aisle - dense flooring! - use 10 cups per square metre
  • A single bath - how big can a bath be? 1 to 2 cups should be sufficient.
  • Bridal Suite - one 8 cup bag should give you a little pathway and a heart shape on the bed.

What is the difference between Table Petals, Tossing Petals and Aisle petals?

Table Petals are the highest quality petals we produce, whilst the Tossing Petals are slightly imperfect and Aisle Petals are designed for trampling on and providing provide colour and freshness all round. Don’t forget that freeze-dried petals are naturally biodegradable - they just go to dust so the after-party clean up is simple & easy - no stained tablecloths or gowns, no slimy mess to clear up! You, your wedding dress and your venue will love them just for that, never mind the glorious, vibrant colours which they add to the event!

The process of creating perfect petals for the Table, or for Confetti & Tossing or for any use where the petals will be handled, is quite extreme. We first source the best roses available in the country, with large, fully developed flower heads that have opened whilst growing, then cut and rehydrate once they get to us in Balgowan. When they are fully opened, the heads are “de-petaled” by hand and sorted into perfect and imperfect. The three sets of petals are then freeze dried over a period of two weeks (see here for more detail on how we do this) and then re-sorted after they have been dried.

This ensures that the Table & Tossing Petals are as perfect as they can be, whilst the Aisle Petals - which may have colour variations or be small/torn etc - are still vibrant with colour. We do not recommend the use of Aisle Petals for table decoration or uses where they are closely observed or handled, but they are excellent value for aisles, pathways, and bathtubs etc. Note that we are usually not able to fill specific colour requests for Aisle Petals as they are premixed assortments, but the rule is always to ask!! We may be able to help in specific cases.

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Keeping Freeze Dried Petals Perfect

One of the best reasons for using Freeze Dried Petals is that they have more life and look better than any other kind of petal. How do you keep them that way until you need to use them?

  • The simple rule is to keep them away from light and moisture, so leave them in the sealed bag and in a dark place, until a day or two before you need to use them.
  • PetalMania always packs a clay-desiccant (completely non-toxic and bio-degradeable) sachet in with the petals, to help keep them in prime condition. This may mean that the petals are extremely dry and possibly quite brittle when you first open the bag, so if you wish to make sure that the Petals are soft to the touch, a simple trick is to open the bags the day before you wish to use them, and allow them to reabsorb a little moisture. This is especially useful for petals that will be handled by guests.

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Freeze Dried Petals as Pot Pourri

Freeze Dried Petals look amazing when used as Pot Pourri - how do I keep them looking fresh and new?

  • It is always best to keep preserved flora out of direct sunlight, and this applies to Freeze Dried Petals too. Find the clay desiccant pouch that we have sent with the Petals and bury it in the bowl with the petals. This will help keep moisture at bay until it is saturated, when it will need to be replaced. At that point, you may want to replace the petals, in any case.
  • Freeze Dried Petals will NOT last as long as more traditional dried/painted wood chips and petals in Pot Pourris .. they will simply look considerably better and fresher! Over time, however, the petals will absorb moisture and lose their colour.
  • Naturally, one can sprinkle fragrance or essential oil on freeze dried flora to ensure that you have the perfumed waft you require - it is better to put the oil onto the bowl rather than directly onto the petals, but that is up to you!

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