![]() It is important to remember to collect flowers when they are at their peak. Below are two techniques for drying flowers. There is, however, a wide range of flowers that can be successfully dried. For most people dried flowers conjure up images of lavender, strawflowers, and statice. Join her each weekend for home gardening demonstrations on a variety of topics in the Home Gardening Center.ĭrying flowers is a wonderful way to preserve the beauty of your garden. Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education. Posted in Gardening Tips on May 17 2010, by Sonia Uyterhoeven Silica should be handled with gloves, and you have no sure way of knowing if you pulled all the silica from a dried flower.Tip of the Week: Methods of Drying Flowers You can make dried flower petals, but I wouldn’t use them in any beauty products, like bath salts.You also need to use a filter mask and gloves while working with Silica gel.Don’t spill your silica gel because it is a pain to clean up! (ask me how I know).If you are drying a lot of flowers and require bulk silica gel it could be cost-prohibitive. Silica gel is one of the most expensive methods to start out with, but since the gel can be recharged the costs diminish over time.You can recharge silica gel by placing it in the oven for 30 minutes.The fastest method by far is one minute in the microwave and your flowers are dry.Our preserved daisies, for example, looked incredibly fresh once dried. Retains the same look as a freshly picked flower.Creates beautifully vibrant dried flowers.Pros and Cons of Drying Flowers with Silica Gel Something to note : You can also use the microwave to dry rose petals in under 2 minutes! You can seal your flowers with hairspray, mod podge, or with a rattle can spray varnish, be sure it is non-yellowing. Let the container cool for 30 minutes before removing your dried flowers.Use a microwave-safe container and cover your flowers entirely with about an inch of extra on the top.With two containers of silica gel, you can allow one batch to cool down while you work on the second one. I did find that I had to let my silica gel cool down before doing the second batch and for this reason, my advice is to get two jars of gel if you are planning on drying lots of flowers. I do find that the microwave sometimes bubbles leaves a bit, but if you are short on time, this is an excellent method for doing flowers quickly. This method is fast and does a fantastic job of preserving vibrancy. You can also use the microwave to dry your flowers. Using the Microwave to speed up the flower drying process. The air-dry method is a wonderful way to preserve your cut flowers or wedding bouquets. Use dried flowers in vases, crafts like homemade wreaths, or even create centerpieces for the holidays. When the stems can snap easily, they are finished drying.Bright, vibrant flowers change colour to browns, light pinks, dull yellows and transform into vintage bouquets. ![]() You will notice the flowers will start to change colors. Try to keep them out of the sunlight to retain some of their vivid colours. ![]() Hang the bunch of flowers in a cool dark place to dry out.Make sure that your bunches are not too close together. Hang the flowers upside down in a dark dry place that receives good air circulation.I find the easiest way is with a elastic band. Start by gathering your flowers in small bunches by the stem and secure them with a piece of string or rubber band.Pick blooms that are not fully open yet as they will open more as they dry out. Start by harvesting the flowers in the morning, after the dew has dried and the flowers are their freshest.But after 30 days you will find your flowers beautifully pressed, and ready to use. If you open your book before the 30 days to peek, you risk cracking or breaking leaves. You will still need to add pressure to the top, but this is a pretty easy method that does not require adding additional pages.ĭrying flowers this way takes about 30 days. Print can sometimes rub off, or transfer, so it is a good idea to place your flowers between sheets of nonbleached paper before putting them inside of the book.Īnother useful method uses a bleach-free hardbound watercolor notebook. You could also use old belts or straps to wrap around your book to tighten down the pages. It is best to use large heavy books, like a phone book (if you can find one), and either tie a strap or belt around it while pressing your flowers or add something substantial to the top to add pressure. I can remember my grandmother tucking flowers into books that we often found years later. It seems old-fashioned, but that’s part of the charm. Pressing flowers in large books is still a useful method for preserving flowers.
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