The dried fronds of pampas grass can be dyed in pastel shades or black, depending on the starting color. All you need as a material base is water-soluble acrylic paint in the desired color. The remaining materials such as brushes and pads can be found in every household.
How do you dye pampas grass?
To dye pampas grass, dilute water-soluble acrylic paint in a shallow bowl, dip the dried fronds or paint them with a brush. Hang the fronds to dry and then blow-dry them carefully.
How is pampas grass dyed?
Acrylic paints that are diluted with water until they are easy to paint and are no longer thick are suitable for coloring pampas grass. The flowers can be turned in a shallow bowl and coated with a brush. They are then hung up to dry and can then be blow-dried upside down. The use of hairspray for fixation is possible but not necessary.
Dyeing Pampas Grass: Basics
A little orange color on the frond and it seems as if the warm light of the sunset is flooding through fluffy white clouds. Intensely colorful colors in a pampas grass bouquet and you are herding a herd of rainbow sheep. What shouldn't be missing? That's right: the black sheep! With dark acrylic paint, pampas grass fronds become dusky night colors.
Pampas grass can be dipped in any color, so there are no limits to your imagination. But before you roll up your sleeves and cut your pampas grass in the garden, let’s get to the basics first. Because not every type of pampas grass is suitable for the colorful look. And one or two tricks help with harvesting and drying.
The right starting point – dark or light pampas grass?
Yin and Yang, black and white, dark and light pampas grass: neither one nor the other is bad. It depends on the effort.
Despite the large selection of varieties, pampas grass can be roughly divided into two, perhaps three, color categories: white, brown and pink. The latter is seen as a rare exception. White and brown are the most common. For the darker starting tone, a dark final tone is recommended. Brown pampas grass looks best in black. Because bright colors behave on brown flowers like they do on dark recycled paper: they lose a lot of their luminosity.
White pampas grass, on the other hand, is like a white sheet. Light brown tones are okay, so it doesn't have to be pure snow white. With a light base, delicate pastel colors underline the airy appearance of the panicles. On the other hand, acrylic without the addition of white color provides the necessary opacity for black and intensely colored dried flowers.
Harvest and dry pampas grass fronds yourself
Pampas grass is usually not cut until late spring. But for creative work, the most beautiful flowers can be harvested insummer or autumn. However, a few fronds should remain on the plant for winter protection. Choose a dry day to prune.
Pampas Grass Harvesting Guide:
- Wear gloves, safety glasses and sturdy clothing against the sharp-edged leaves
- Have secateurs or knives ready
- Grab the stem and cut it close to the ground
- Put the flower aside and cut the next stem
The fronds are then placed upside down on a string and left to dry for between one and three weeks. Resist the urge to color the flowers beforehand. Only professional drying can preserve the beauty of the panicles. Here we show you the drying process in detail.
Dyeing pampas grass: instructions
Once you have been patient and the flowers have dried sufficiently, it's time to dye them. Solid pastel tones have proven successful for white pampas grass and acrylic without brightening additives for brown flowers and for intensive, bright colors. Have you already decided on a color?
Color choice
Pastel
Pastel tones subtly color the fine panicles. Orange, blue, yellow, green, purple and pink serve as the basis, each of which is mixed with white until they have the desired brightness. You can also save yourself the hassle of mixing by using pastel acrylic paints. The Stylex set, for example, consists of six light-resistant and odorless colors in gentle pastel shades (€6.00 on Amazon).
Regardless of whether you mix the pastel paint yourself or buy it, the acrylic paint must always be diluted with water. Because in its pure form, acrylic is too viscous and would cause the fine fronds to clump together. Even if you want to use intense colors, you have to thin the acrylic. We explain the correct mixing ratio below.
Black
To dye pampas grass black, follow a similar procedure to the pastel shades. The difference is that the paint should not be diluted with white. We recommend using Artina water-based acrylic paint. It impresses with its high pigmentation and strong coverage. A slight shine also emphasizes the lightness of the pampas grass. To use, the paint is also diluted in water.
Material
In addition to the dry grasses, you will need:
- Acrylic paint in your desired color
- If applicable. Bowl for mixing the pastel color
- Water for dilution
- Large Bowl
- Soft bristle brushes
- clothespins + string for drying
- Documents (newspaper, cardboard)
- hairdryer
Dyeing pampas grass: This is how it works
First make space, hang up the string and spread out the documents. The work area should also be protected with newspaper. Dilute three tablespoons of (pastel) paint in 150 milliliters of water in the large bowl and stir well with a brush.
Step 1: Dye the pampas grass
Slowly pull the dried frond through the diluted paint or submerge it completely. Don't forget the flower base and tip. Press carefully with the brush. Alternatively, you can just paint the flower with a brush, but this is very time-consuming.
Step 2: Dry the pampas grass on the line
After bathing in the paint, hang the flowers upside down on the line. They should not lie down, otherwise there is a risk of clumping. Once you have hung all the fronds, let the ornamental grass dry for about a day. If you want things to go faster, you can also use a hairdryer. However, only on the weakest setting and with a lot of distance. Pay attention to the surroundings because splashes can occur.
Step 3: Arrange colorful pampas grass
If you can run your hand through the frond without feeling any moisture, then you can use the pampas grass. The long plume looks good in floor vases. Long, thin vases create elegant contrasts together with the fluffy fronds. Dried pampas grass can also be combined well with other dried flowers.
Care for dried and dyed pampas grass
So that your jewelry lasts, you should follow the important care tips. If you have dried the pampas grass professionally, it can last up to three years. We'll show you what you need to do and how you can make purchased dried flowers fluffy again using three tips.
Tip 1: Time
Dried pampas grass can also be purchased online. This means you can enjoy the natural decoration in your home even if you don't have your own garden. To avoid any shock when unpacking, the following should be clear: The large flower is compressed for delivery and arrives quite compressed. Then simply leave the fronds in a vase. After about three days, the panicles open and the ornamental grass is fluffy again. Important: When purchasing, pay attention to ecologically acceptable origin and drying method.
Tip 2: Blow dry overhead
After drying and dyeing, the pampas grass can be carefully blow-dried. It is best to blow-dry the fronds when they are still hanging upside down on the line. Make sure you keep a certain distance and consider possible paint splashes. The light breeze loosens clumps and small knots, making the flower appear fluffier. You also accelerate the natural drying process.
Tip 3: Fix with hairspray
When you are happy with your arrangement, you can spray hairspray on the dried flowers to help them keep their shape longer. It also helps against lint formation. For this reason, hairspray should also be sprayed on dried pampas grass that is not intended to be dyed. The sticky mass significantly increases the shelf life. After six months you can reapply some of it.
Bleaching pampas grass and other dried flowers
Dry flowers – as a bouquet, wreath or loose – are very popular. It feels like you could scroll through Instagram or Pinterest all day and constantly come across new creative ideas. However, one trend is not as innocent as it seems: bleaching. White flowers, leaves and stems are particularly common as decorations and arrangements at weddings. They are also becoming more and more established in interior design.
Bleached Ruscus: Dark green becomes white - unfortunately often at the expense of nature and others.
But unfortunately the business behind bleaching has a dark side. Florist Anne Oberwalleney from ikoflowers – flower virtuoso and co-founder of the German slowflower movement – draws attention to important points in an article:
- Social-ecological aspects: Where do the plants come from? The origin is often unknown, which suggests exploitative working conditions. In addition, there are transport, packaging and a lack of environmental regulations.
- He alth Aspects: Industrial and DIY bleaches rely on a variety of dangerous chemicals that harm he alth and the environment.
- Water: Bleaching requires a lot of water. In countries where water is scarce, this is a catastrophe.
Conclusion – “So the question is: Why on earth do we want to touch this stuff or sell it to customers?” – Thanks Anne, we sign it like that. The florists also reveal in their article how to bleach plants sustainably and in harmony with nature. Absolute reading recommendation!
FAQ
Can pampas grass also be sprayed with paint?
Spray paint is not suitable for coloring pampas grass. The paint is very heavy undiluted and could gum up the fine panicles. With diluted acrylic paint in the dye bath, you can also be sure that the entire dried frond has been colored and avoid any free spots.
Why shouldn't pampas grass be bleached?
Bleaching pampas grass or other dried flowers usually involves the use of chemicals. These represent a serious environmental and he alth problem.
Which material is suitable for dyeing pampas grass?
To dye pampas grass you will need: dried flowers, acrylic paint, brush, water, bowl, string, clothespins and documents.
How is pampas grass dyed?
Pampas grass, when dried, is either bathed in a diluted mixture of acrylic paint and water or painted with a brush.
How to care for dyed pampas grass?
Dyed pampas grass must first dry sufficiently. It can then be loosened up with a hairdryer. From time to time the frond can be fixed with hairspray. Contact with water should be avoided.