When it comes to drying most flowers there are the three basic methods:
1. Hanging Them to Dry:
Hanging the flowers upside down may be something you remember your mother or grandmother doing, but it’s legit! Tie the stems tightly with a string or rubber band. You can either work with a bundle of stems together or hang each stem separately. Hang the bundle upside down by the string in a cool, dark, dry and well ventilated place. ( a closet or an attic, but not a bathroom or kitchen.) Keep away from direct sunlight so they don’t lose their color. Leave for at least 2-3 weeks.
2. Silica Gel
You can find silica gel at a local hardware store or from amazon.com, linked here. Pour some silica gel into a container then place your flowers in the container. Pour some more silica gel over the flowers. Make sure they are fully covered. After a few days or a week, you should have dried flowers. Warning: KEEP AWAY FROM SMALL CHILDREN!
3. Pressing
This method is effective, but it does make the flowers lose their shape. Begin by removing all unwanted leaves. Open a heavy book midway. Line the page with a piece of watercolor paper or card stock. Arrange the flowers so that they lay flat, but don’t overlap them. Place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on top of the flowers. Close the book and leave the flowers there for up to 30 days.
These methods should work well for :
- Roses
- Tulips
- Baby breath
- Peonies
- Orchids
- Eucalyptus
- Lilacs
- Calla Lilies
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
- Roses: You can use blooms which have opened a bit, but don’t use a rose which is already beginning to fall apart and lose its petals. You want to trim the stem and take off all the leaves, but leave at least six inches of the stem for drying.
- Tulips: Silica gel might be a better option for tulips. But you can also hang them upside down. Dry tulips right before they reach their peak and before they’re opened fully. Take off all the leaves and cut stems at a 45 degree angle, leaving six inches on stem.
- Baby’s breath: Cut baby’s breath to dry when buds are partially open and the flowers are just starting to open.
- Peonies: Cut stem at least six inches long, stripping off the lower foliage.
- Orchids: These do take a bit longer to dry. If hanging, they should be dry after a month. When using silica gel, it should take two weeks.
- Eucalyptus: Clip the stems to the desired Length and remove all the leaves and extra dirt. Make sure your eucalyptus is dry when cutting it.
- Lilacs: Any option is good.
- Calla Lilies: Pick the calla lilies once the dew evaporates. Trim the stems down to 1 inch. The third method is best for Lilies.
Hydrangeas do dry better in water.
How to: Cut each stem at an angle, leaving 12-18 inches of stem attached. Put the flowers in a vase filled halfway with water. Place in a cool spot, and make sure it is not in direct sunlight. Allow the water to fully evaporate- which should take 2-3 weeks. At that point the hydrangeas should feel dry. You can also choose to dry these by hanging them upside down but they do turn out more brittle than the water way.
