Drying flowers is an energetic rebellion against the transience of fresh bouquets and virgin flower blossoms. Read this guide for the best practices for drying flowers and herbs. This is how it works in the air, in the oven, microwave, automatic dehydrator, and simple means. In this article, we read about How to dry flowers?
Drying flowers properly – instructions in 4 steps
As dried flowers, they give flowers and bouquets a second life with a long-term effect. It works cheaply and effortlessly in the air. The following instructions explain how to dry flowers properly and make them durable in 4 steps:
- Take the bouquet out of the vase, pluck out dead leaves, pat the damp stems dry
- Tie the flower stems together with a bast ribbon or a wide cord
- hang upside down in the dark, airy, and dry place
- spray with hairspray
In the following 2 to 4 weeks, occasionally check whether the binding material is tight enough without cutting into the stem tissue. When the flowers crackle dry, the process is complete.
Successfully overwintering lavender – tips from the gardener
When is the best time?
Time is of the essence if you want to dry flowers yourself in premium quality. Once the flowers have fully opened, start the process. Do not wait until the first signs of wilting appear: the fresher and more splendid a bouquet, the more perfect the result. For example, tulips should squeak if you want to dry the spring flowers properly.
Which flowers are suitable for drying?
All flowers and herbs are suitable for drying. For this uncomplicated type of preservation, a colorful range of beautiful species and varieties has emerged as particularly relevant. The following table presents ideal entry-level plants that can be dried quickly:
flower | botanical name | Herbs | botanical name |
Roses | pink | sage | Salvia |
Pansy | viola | Lemon thyme | Thymus x citriodorus |
Hydrangeas | Hydrangea | lavender | Lavandula angustifolia |
Sea lavender | Limonium | basil | Ocimum basilicum |
Chinese lantern flowers | Physalis | oregano | Origanum vulgare |
Gypsophila | Gypsophila | Nasturtiums | Tropaeolum majus |
The garden strawflower (Helichrysum) shines under the autumn flowers – the epitome of all dried flowers. The white, orange, yellow, pink, and rust-red flowers invite you to creative handicraft ideas from August to October. No other flower is better suited for drying in the air, in the oven, or with the help of silica gel & Co.
Furthermore, numerous wildflowers and herbs give you colorful petals for imaginative creations or as edible decorations for cold and warm dishes. Marigolds, daisies, and knapweeds are just as much a part of it as dead nettle, hawthorn, and ribwort.
Flowers dry without losing color.
Light and sun are pure poison when you let flowers air dry. Under the influence of brightness, flowers and petals fade. To keep the color, please always dry flowers in the dark. To do this, choose a basement or attic when air-drying flowers—cover individual flowers or petals with a thin cloth. Once the flowers have dried, choose a partially shaded, airy place to retain the splendor of colors for a long time. Under the blazing sun, the most beautiful drying bouquet loses its radiance in the blink of an eye.
Drying flowers faster – tips & tricks
The duration of the drying phase can be significantly reduced if you resort to the help of various means. It takes up to two weeks for flower blossoms to air dry. A bouquet takes four to six weeks to dry completely. How to force the process:
Dry in the oven
- Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper
- Place the flower blossoms on the baking paper
- Set the range to 30 to 40 degrees top and bottom heat
- Clamp a wooden handle into the oven door
When the flowers rustle, turn off the stove. Do not put dried flower petals and herbs in closed containers as decoration until they have cooled down completely. If the dried flowers and herbs are not intended for consumption, spray them with hairspray as supplementary preservation.
Dry in silica gel or salt
- Fill the sealable container as thick as a finger with silica gel or dry salt (not iodized)
- Stick flowers upright in the medium (e.g., daisies, roses, hydrangeas)
- alternatively, place flowers on the desiccant (e.g., delphiniums, pansies, snapdragons)
- Sieve slowly and entirely with silica gel or salt
- Close the container tightly with the lid
- set up in a warm, shady location
- Check a small area with two fingers after a week
- Carefully pour out the silica gel or salt
- Remove the remaining residues from the dried flowers with a kitchen brush
- spray with hairspray or hair lacquer
Instead of silica gel or dry salt, you can use washing powder. You can dry flowers and fragrant decorative herbs in cat litter within a few days. To make flowers as durable as jewelry and decoration, spray the flowers with hairspray. Please note: Edible flowers and herbs for the kitchen are better left in the air or in the oven to dry quickly. Spraying with hairspray is deleted without replacement.
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