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Forum -> Household Management
Homemade potpourri?



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lst




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 28 2009, 6:58 am
Does anyone have any easy way to make homemade potpourri? I know I had an article somewhere about how to do it but I can't find it.
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louche




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 28 2009, 8:26 am
Collect a variety of fragrant plant materials such as flowers, flower buds, petals, leaves, citrus peels, pine cones or whatever suits your fancy. If they're not already dry, spread them out in a single layer on something like a window screen or a cookie sheet lined with paper towels and leave in a cool, dry place for several weeks. Every now and then stir them around a bit so they dry from all sides.

When all the materials are dry, dry, dry, make a shushing sound like cornflakes, and snap rather than flex when you try to bend them, put them in a (preferably) glass or ceramic bowl with a tight lid. Mix in a tablespoon or two of powdered orris root as a fixative to make the fragrance last longer. Then add, drop-by-drop, the fragrant essential oil or oils (from a health-food store, pharmacy, or crafts store) of your choice. Keep a record of how much you add of which fragrance Stir the whole mixture after every few drops. Start with no more than 10 or 20 drops of oil total. Cover tightly and set aside in a cool place to mature for a few weeks, stirring or shaking every now and then. If after a few weeks, the fragrance is too weak for your taste, add a little more essential oil and set aside to mature again until you get the strength you want. Be careful--a little goes a long way, especially in a warm room. You don't want to asphyxiate your family and guests.

If you decide you hate the fragrance you've concocted, bury the whole mess in your yard if you have one (why waste good nutritive organic material) and start over.

The plant materials must be dryer than dry before you begin. Any hint of moisture will cause the whole thing to mold.

You can use a single essential oil, but a blend will give you a richer, more complex and less easily identifiable fragrance. Cedarwood, cinnamon and clove make a rich, warm potpourri suitable for winter. Lavender, rose and mint are refreshing for summer. But be careful--even light fragrances like lavender and mint can be overpowering if you use too much.
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