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You may not be able to bottle your favorite memories and save them forever, but drying flowers from a special occasion is a wonderful way to preserve those special moments. How to dry flowers will show you how to keep your posies picture-perfect.
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Drying Flowers Tips
- You can dry old gift bouquets or freshly-picked flowers.
- Pick flowers that are just short of being in full bloom for perfect preservation.
- Pressing flowers is the easiest, but will change the shape of the blossom.
- Hanging or air-drying is also simple, but may discolor flowers slightly.
- Keep flowers out of direct sunlight ASAP if you plan on hanging them to dry.
- Drying your flowers with silica gel, borax or sand is complicated, but preserves flowers the best.
- Silica gel and borax are both non-toxic, but should still be handled carefully.
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Introduction
- Rather than giving a special bouquet the old heave-ho when it begins to wilt, why not try drying the flowers to preserve your memories? While you can always take your pretty plants to a professional for more advanced methods of preservation, there are also plenty of effective ways for you to dry flowers in your own home.
- The information gathered on this page will walk you through the details of all of the most common ways that you can dry flowers yourself. So whether you're looking to save some money or pick up a new do-it-yourself home project, here's how to keep those posies picture-perfect whether you choose to press, hang or bury your floral find.
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How to Pick Flowers for Drying
- Even though the actual drying processes are reasonably straightforward, there are a few things you should keep in mind when you pick out the flowers that you're going to preserve. To make sure that your flowers turn out as picturesque as possible:
- Choose flowers that are well-shaped and free of any visible insects or parasites.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
- Pick flowers that are free of moisture and ready to blossom.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
- Trim fresh flowers on a dry day and/or after morning dew has dried.About.com: Preserving Your Summer Blooms - Pressing and Drying Flowers
- They also shouldn't have started to wilt from natural exposure to heat or sunlight.GardenGuides.com: Drying Flowers
- Don't pick flowers that are in full bloom, since these are more likely to lose petals during the drying process.Florapedia: How to Dry Flowers by ProFlowers
- Remember that blossoms will continue to open as you dry the flowers, so try to pick flowers that are just short of looking their absolute best.Dried Flowers Direct: How do you Dry Flowers, the Answer
Pressing Dry
- Pressing flowers dry is pretty much just what it sounds like; you'll squish the flowers between two layers of absorbent material to suck out moisture and preserve them.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006) Pressing is not the best method for flowers with thick stems or leaves.EnchantedLearning.com: Pressed Flowers Stationery and Cards Craft Rather, pressing is a method best used for more delicate flowers like pansies or lilies, as well as flowers that are naturally more flat in shape.Florapedia: How to Dry Flowers by ProFlowers
- Start out with flowers that are dry, but not wilted.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
- Press them between sheets of unglazed paper like newspaper or an old phonebook.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
- Line the sheets with tissues, paper towels or even coffee filters to absorb excess moisture as well as to prevent ink or newsprint from getting on the flowers.DIY Network: Dried & Pressed Flowers EnchantedLearning.com: Pressed Flowers Stationery and Cards Craft
- Place your flowers inside the folded lining. Make sure to arrange the flowers so that they don't touch one another.EnchantedLearning.com: Pressed Flowers Stationery and Cards Craft
- If you need to press a large batch of flowers at once, simply place a few sheets of paper between each layer of flowers.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
- Lay a couple of bricks or similar heavy objects on top of the stack and let the flowers sit in the press.
- Depending on the size of the flowers, they will take anywhere between 2 to 4 weeks to dry.DIY Network: Dried & Pressed Flowers North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
Hanging Dry
- Also known as air drying, hanging your flowers to dry is a simple process that preserves the shape and general color of your flowers by drying them in a warm, dark space. Hanging flowers to dry will make them very stiff, pink hues will fade and certain types of blossoms will shrink during the process.Clemson Extension: Home & Garden Information Center - Drying Flowers (June 1999)
- Exposure to sunlight plays a big part in fading the color of your flowers, so get them out of direct light as soon as possible after cutting them.Dried Flowers Direct: How do you Dry Flowers, the Answer
- Remove any excess foliage and trim the stems.Florapedia: How to Dry Flowers by ProFlowers
- If you want to dry flowers in a bunch, fasten them together with with rubber bands, twine or any other material which will hold firmly without bending or breaking the flower stems.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
- Find a place to hang your flowers that is warm and dark, but still has good airflow as well as stable, low humidity levels.Home & Garden Television: Drying Flowers How-to
- Hang each bunch or individual flower with the blossoms facing the ground.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
- -You don't have to get too fancy when hanging the flowers. Something as simple as using dental floss to tie flowers to a coat hanger will get the job done just fine.Florapedia: How to Dry Flowers by ProFlowers
- Hang the flowers until they are completely dried, which should take about two to three weeks.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
- -A good tip for checking your flowers' dryness is that the stems will only snap easily when the flower is completely dried out.GardenGuides.com: Drying Flowers
Using Silica Gel
- Silica gel is a sand-like drying agent that helps preserve a flower's natural beauty by rapidly absorbing moisture out of it.PBS: The Victory Garden - Dried-Flower Power Silica drying is one of the the fastest and most effective methods for drying almost any flower at home, and is recommended for flowers that have lots of densely-packed petals that would otherwise be difficult to dry evenly.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006) Clemson Extension: Home & Garden Information Center - Drying Flowers (June 1999)
- If you've never used silica gel before, there are a few important facts to keep in mind:
- Silica gel can be purchased in florists, gardening or hobby stores and-- while a little on the pricey side-- the same portion of silica gel can be reused for years.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993) University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
- -Simply throw the used silica gel onto a baking pan, set your oven to low heat, bake until it's dry and it's ready to be used again.Lowe's How To Library: Drying Flowers
- It's a non-toxic material, but will cause irritation if exposed to skin, eyes or throat/stomach if ingested. Repeated inhalation may cause more serious respiratory problems.Fischer Scientific: Material Safety Data Sheet - Silica Gel Desiccant (September 2, 1997)
- Always wear a mask when handling silica gel to protect yourself from inhaling small particles.Google Books: From a Colonial Garden By Susan Hight Rountree, Tom Green (p.63)
- When not in use, store silica gel in a closed, airtight container.Google Books: From a Colonial Garden By Susan Hight Rountree, Tom Green (p.63)
- Silica gel can be purchased in florists, gardening or hobby stores and-- while a little on the pricey side-- the same portion of silica gel can be reused for years.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993) University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
In the Microwave
- Microwaving is a great option for flowers with strong and distinctive structure you want to preserve. The drying process only takes a few minutes (not counting time for materials to cool), and will preserve your flowers more freshly and colorfully than other methods.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006) Just remember not to store food in any container that has held silica gel in it before.Florapedia: How to Dry Flowers by ProFlowers
- Pour one or two inches of silica gel into a microwave-safe container.Florapedia: How to Dry Flowers by ProFlowers
- Place flowers in the container, blossom-side up.
- Pour a generous amount of gel over the blossoms, but be careful not to flatten them!TipNut.com: How to Dry Flowers: A Collection of Tips
- Place your uncovered container in the microwave, along with a cup of water to prevent excessively-fast drying.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006) Times and temperature will vary with different types of flowers.
- ProFlowers recommends that you start out a little higher than the defrost setting for two to five minutes, then check and set timer again if the flowers aren't dry.
- The North Dakota State University Agricultural Experiment Station has a slightly more specific take, and provides a chart for recommended heating times based on the general size of your flower.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
- When it's done drying, remove the container from the microwave.
- To properly dry the flower, you must do not remove them until the silica gel has cooled.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
- Depending on the size of your flower, it can take up to 24 hours to dry out completely.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
- Gently brush off excess any silica gel when you remove the flowers.
- Spray the blossom petals with a light coat of hairspray, lacquer or some other sort of fixative to prevent the flowers from reabsorbing airborne moisture.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
Without a Microwave
- Although the process will take a little big longer, you can also use silica gel to dry flowers without any sort of microwave heating. The steps are pretty similar to the microwave technique, with a few slight differences.
- Select a container with a airtight lid that is large enough to hold your flowers.Google Books: From a Colonial Garden By Susan Hight Rountree, Tom Green (p.63)
- Cut the stems of your flowers so only about one inch remains.PBS: The Victory Garden - Dried-Flower Power
- Fill the bottom of your container with about one inch of silica gel.TipNut.com: How to Dry Flowers: A Collection of Tips
- Place the flowers in the container face-up and spaced apart from each other.PBS: The Victory Garden - Dried-Flower Power
- Add gel until the tops of the blossoms are buried about one half inch deep.TipNut.com: How to Dry Flowers: A Collection of Tips
- -To avoid flattening petals, Lowe's recommends that you pour silica around the perimeter of your flowers, then tap the sides of the container so gel gently falls over the blossoms.Lowe's How To Library: Drying Flowers
- Immediately put the lid back on your container so the silica only absorbs moisture from your flower, and not the air.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
- The flowers should be done drying after about one week in the silica gel.Clemson Extension: Home & Garden Information Center - Drying Flowers (June 1999)
Silica Gel Substitutions
- If you're put off by the cost or the very slight health risks of working with silica gel to dry flowers, you can substitute silica gel for a variety of substances which work on exactly the same principles as silica gel. The steps should be exactly the same, except that drying time will be longer than with silica gel.Lowe's How To Library: Drying Flowers Here are a few of the most common alternatives to silica gel, and what you should know about them.
Sand
- Sand is another popular substitution for silica gel when drying flowers. Unlike kitty litter, not just any old sand will do. You absolutely must use clean, dry and fine-grained sand that preferably has no salt in it.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
- If your sand doesn't meet these standards above, you should sift it until only fine-grained sand remains.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
- Dirty sand can also be rinse out the sand with water and a small amount of liquid dish-washing soap as well.Clemson Extension: Home & Garden Information Center - Drying Flowers (June 1999)
- Damp sand can be quickly dried by baking it in a shallow pan on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.North Dakota State University: Methods of Preserving Flowers (June 1993)
Kitty Litter
- Ordinary kitty litter can easily be used in place of silica gel. Just remember that:
Borax Mixtures
- Borax is another non-toxic substance that-- like silica gel-- may pose minor health risks but is commonly used to dry flowers.Etimine USA: Borax Pentahydrate Health and Safety Data Sheet
- Borax is used in combination with other common materials like sand or cornmeal to dry flowers.
- Ratios of borax to combination materials is typically 2:1, but can also range from anywhere from 1:1 to 1:6.Clemson Extension: Home & Garden Information Center - Drying Flowers (June 1999) University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
- It is much less expensive to use than similar quantities of silica gel, but can't be reused.University of Missouri Extension: Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements (September 2006)
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