Well, winter must be here. The less humid air is doing a job on the scenery I’ve done in the past few months. The lichen is drying out and I am afraid if I don’t do something soon all of the greenery on my mountains will crumbe to dust.
How do you keep the lichen moist during the dry months? Is it okay to spray a light mist of water on it daily?
I had that problem years ago with a layout. A friend of mine told me to apply a little glycerin water. It seemed to help quite a bit. I think you’ll find that ordinary water will dry out very quickly and might even create more problems, especially if the water is hard. If you did want to try it, I’d suggest trying distilled water.
Pure glycerin, which can be purchased at any big-box department store or pharmacy, is supposed to be good at preserving lichen, but applying it after the lichen is on the layout will probably require a sprayer. What the glycerin might do to adjacent scenery I have no idea. I’ve always soaked the lichen in it before putting it on the layout.
Ok guys tiis is just a suggestion… could a person use silicone? You can buy it at some local parts stores. Like I said don’t know if it’s a good idea but someone else may offer some insight on it’s uses.
Actually, I didn’t spray the glycerin. I’m not sure, but I think I used a brush. I dipped it and just touched it on the lichen. Lichen is very porous and it simply drew the liquid in.
Here is a very simple thing that I do every winter to help the lichen stay soft and keep from drying out. I dig out my small humdifer and fill it full of water and check it every couple of days and refill if needed. I have some lichen that was purchased clear back to 1977 and is still in nice shape. A few years back I bought very large amount of lichen from a seller on Ebay who lived in Florida, it amounted to about 5 gallons worth in 2 colors of green, this was better than any I have ever purchased in LHS. I have no idea what he treated it with, but it stays soft all winter. Lichen is a moss that is created by mother nature, and requires moisture to stay soft, glycerin preserves it but it still requires moisture to stay soft. If my should dry out I just don’t touch it and it remains ok, but like you said, if you touch it it breaks then. Try the humidifier, it will do the trick and makes the room feel warmer too.
I just used a garden sprayer on mine this evening. I spray it a couple times a year, whenever it feels dry. I have never thought of a humidifier as I always have a humidity problem. But now that i think about it I don’t have that problem in the winter. Would a vaporizer work?
Yep, and it will keep you from getting a sore throat to and help with chest colds! Good luck to you on the moister cure.