Time Lapse/Lights & Destroying the Environment

[Doghouse Reilly]

Not sure if this is the best place for this question, its a bit of an obscure one;

I want to do a time lapse shot in an upcoming short of a flower withering away and dying. Has anyone ever attempted this or something similar?
I am assuming a lot of heat (and patience) is the best way to go about it. I will probably have access to a couple of 100W or 150W lights. Are these likely to be powerful enough to have any effect?
Any estimates on how long it might take to achieve? Any tips for speeding up the process? Any tips about shooting time lapse shots in general?

Maybe the green thumbs among you will know of some nasty chemical spray that will help get the job done?

As always, thanks in advance for the help/suggestions.

 

[WalterB]

I've withered a rose years ago.
It took 2 attempts.
The second time I was hanging it upside down to keep the rose straight.
It took somewhere between 3 and 6 days. I don't remember exactly.

No water and nice warm lights do help a lot indeed.

Make sure nobody interferes the scene and make sure you have enouh power and memory.
Will you shoot it in a blinded room, so the light will be constant?

Now, 8 years later: the dried rose is still hanging next to my monitor :-p

 

[Doghouse Reilly]

Thanks for the info WalterB.

3-6 days, hey? Darn, I was hoping more like 24 hours. Perhaps I was being far too optimistic. I doubt I would have access to the gear for long enough otherwise, probably not for more than a day or two. Do you remember by any chance what sort of lights you used?

I'd be shooting outdoors ideally, though could cheat the CU and do it inside if I had to (which I guess I probably would). Starting to think I might try and come up with some alternatives, maybe just have the flower wilt a little, or shed some petals or something.

Thanks for the help.

 

[A.D.]

Poison it? I'm pretty sure there must be a suitable type of weed killer that will wilt a plant in hours. I'd go to a garden center and pick the brains of the staff there.

 

[Doghouse Reilly]

Good thinking, I may just do that.

 

[David.rhsc]

Poison it? I'm pretty sure there must be a suitable type of weed killer that will wilt a plant in hours. I'd go to a garden center and pick the brains of the staff there.

Though I never did the project, this is what I was going to do for a time lapse thing I had been planning in college.

Round Up might work, although it is designed to not kill certain plants, so maybe not the best choice.