Can you dry flowers in the oven
Effortless Oven Dried Flowers For Crafts
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How to dry flowers quickly. Effortless Oven Dried Flowers for Crafts and then how to make your own DIY potpourri too! Make baked dried flowers for crafts! For more floral ideas see my Plants page.
What to do with dried flowers?
I am going to show you the process of drying flowers in the oven to use in craft projects, floral designs, or potpourri.
My husband sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers for my anniversary and instead of tossing out the flowers when they started to die I dried them out and made some DIY Spring Citrus Potpourri.
I am so impatient, I wanted to dry the flowers out fast instead of waiting two weeks for nature to do it for me. Funny how we live in that “I want it now” mode these days. We are all so spoiled.
Depending on what you are using the flowers for you may first need to check other ways to dry out flowers at the bottom of the post.
More Related Floral Projects to try:
- How to Make Potpourri from a Floral Bouquet
- Oven Dried Oranges & Lemon Slices
- DIY Cut Flower Food Recipes
- DIY Cemetery Flower Arrangement by Intelligent Domestications
How long do dried flowers last?
Let’s answer the burning question that everyone wants to know!
Fresh Flowers will last about 10 days in a vase in well-cared-for. See my floral designer tips in the article on DIY Fresh Cut Flower Food Recipes & Tips for ways to keep flowers looking fresh longer.
Dried Flowers can last 1-3 years or longer with proper care. It depends on the flower and how delicate the petals are. They last longer in low humidity and you need to keep them out of direct sunlight and bright light.
If you want even longer-lasting flowers, they would need to be preserved in a glycerin bath. Try contacting your local florist for a preserving service. Lots of people preserve flowers for wedding bouquets, decorations, and memorial flowers.
There are lots of ways to dry flowers. My favorite and super-easy way to DIY dry flowers fast is in the oven.
How to Make Oven Dried Flowers
Supplies:
- Flowers: Roses, Sunflowers, Zinnia, Small Daisy’s, etc.
- Baker Drying Racks
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
Instructions:
- Set oven to 150-200 degrees Fahrenheit depending on how low your oven will set. I used my Convection oven setting to 175 degrees.
- Trim the entire stem off of the flowers leaving only the top blooms.
3. Spread the blooms evenly on the drying racks.
4. Bake the flowers for 1.5-2.5 hours.
5. Check your flower tops every half hour and if they are dry remove them so they will not burn. Large thicker blooms will take longer to dry and small thin blooms will dry very quickly.
6. Let them cool and they are ready to use for crafts or a potpourri mixture.
Even More Ways to Make Dried Flowers
There are many ways you can dry out flowers for crafts and floral arrangements. Here are some of the most popular ways you can do it.
1. How to
Air Dry FlowersAir dry flowers by bunching the stems together and then hanging them upside down out of direct sunlight. This is the best way to dry flowers for floral design. You can leave the stems on.
2. How to do the
Silica Gel Flower Drying MethodCut flower tops and add to an airtight box of silica gel to dry. Checking for dryness in a few days, up to a couple of weeks.
3.
How to Press FlowersPressing flowers or leaves in a book or between two wood boards. Cover the flower with a paper towel, place the flower between pages, and close to press.
Place heavy books or objects on top of the book containing the flower. This method takes a couple of weeks to dry the flower.
4. How to
Vase Dry FlowersLeave the stems in a vase with no water. FYI This can make the blooms drop or lose leaves. This method is not recommended for using dried flowers in floral designs.
I hope this post solved all of your How to dry out flowers problems! Think twice next time before throwing away those beautiful bouquets. You can reuse them by making them into potpourri or other floral projects that lasts all year!
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How to Dry Flowers and Get the Best Results Possible
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Do you want to make your special flowers last a little longer? Maybe you want to preserve a keepsake from your wedding or a loved one’s celebration of life? I’ve been on a flower pressing kick lately, so I thought it was high time I shared techniques on how to dry flowers, especially when only a 3-D effect will do.
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How to Preserve Flowers: What to Know Before You Start
When you see so many different techniques for drying or pressing flowers, it’s hard to know which one is right for you. (If you’re like me, you can’t resist trying them all at some point to satisfy your curiosity.)
Your choice depends on the type of display you want and the types of flowers you’re using.
For projects like pressed flower art, you may need paper-thin petals. See my complete guide on how to press flowers if that fits your bill.
For other resin crafts or shadow boxes, you might prefer one of the more three-dimensional options below.
Tips for preserving flowers
- Always choose fresh flowers for the best results
- Avoid using flowers with bruises or brown spots
- Pick flowers just before they have reached full bloom
- For thick flowers (peonies, ranunculus, roses), you can remove petals before drying
- Flowers with fleshy or water-rich petals may not preserve well
Trust me on the last point. I once scorched a microwave press while trying to dry a portulaca bloom. Gah!
1. Air Drying Flowers
Air-dried bouquet of roses, daisies and cushion pom mumsSupplies
- Fresh flowers or floral bouquet
- Rope to hang
- Hanger or drying rack
- Hairspray (unscented)
Letting flowers dry out naturally is perhaps the easiest (but not quickest) way to preserve your blooms. If you’ve followed the tips above for selecting good flowers, that’s half the battle.
Simply tie a piece of jute rope or string around 5-10 stems, removing any unwanted leaves as you go. You can also use a rubber band for this purpose.
If the stems are the dainty kind, you can insert florist’s wire through the base of the bloom (calyx) and down around the stem to secure them.
Hang the flowers upside down in a well-ventilated, dark space like a closet, attic or utility room. Just make sure the room doesn’t have high humidity. I like to secure them to a hanger or rod in our laundry room…so much more fun than doing laundry in there!
Air dried flowers after 3 weeksAfter 1-3 weeks, your flowers should be completely dry, unless the blossoms are particularly thick. Roses or mums may take longer depending on the size of the flower.
For reference, the bouquet featured in this tutorial was completely dry in about 5 days or so.
Once your flowers have dried, you can spray them with a fixative like unscented hairspray to better retain color.
Best types of flowers to use for air drying
- Roses (my favorite blooms)
- Lavender stems
- Baby’s Breath
- Amaranth
- Hydrangea
- Celosia
- Coneflower
- Herbs (mint, lavender, basil)
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, flowers with a small calyx work well. The Almanac also talks about a “flash drying” method of sticking fresh blooms in your car trunk to dry in the sun for better color preservation.
Knowing me, I’d probably forget about it and have potpourri floating around in the back of my car all year.
Best uses for air dried flowers
The air-drying method works well when you’re looking for a more vintage vibe. The colors don’t hold up quite as well as other methods, but there’s a romantic touch to the slightly yellowed blooms.
It’s also a great method when you want to keep an entire bouquet intact with stems. Just know the petals will be more brittle than with the silica gel method below.
2. Drying Flowers in a Conventional Oven
Flowers dried in conventional ovenSupplies
- Conventional oven
- Cookie sheet
- Baking rack (a.k.a. cooling rack)
To dry flowers in the oven, first trim the stems off to leave only the blossom and calyx. Leaves won’t tend to dry very well in the oven based on my experience.
For roses, you will likely want to remove the individual petals, since the center of the bud is difficult to dry out completely without a lot of browning. You’ll also find that multi-petaled flowers like mums and daisies may tend to shrivel.
Next, spread your flowers on a baking rack placed on a cookie sheet. Bake at 200°F (about 95°C) for about 2 hours.
Smaller flowers will take far less time, so keep an eye out after about 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can always air dry the flowers for the last stretch.
Best flowers for oven drying
- Roses
- Mums
- Zinnias
- Sunflowers
- Purple or blue-toned flowers (e.g., plumbago, statice, etc.)
As you can see from the photos, flowers with bright blue or purple colors tend to retain their color extremely well, while bright red flowers will darken to a wine color and yellow blooms may tend toward brown.
Best uses for oven dried flowers
I love using the oven drying process when making homemade potpourri.
DIY Homemade Potpourri
Learn how to make your own potpourri in this quick video tutorial.
Watch here
The flowers have a crispness that looks romantic, and you won’t fret as much when petal pieces break off in the bowl. It just adds to the charm!
Potpourri made with oven drying methodOven-drying is also my favorite method for drying citrus fruits. You can see my post on how to make dried orange slices to see the results.
See the last photo in this post for a comparison of oven-drying results to other methods.
3. Pressing Flowers to Dry
Pressing flowers in a bookIf you want to have completely flattened flowers, then flower pressing is for you! In my complete guide to flower pressing, I cover these 4 different ways to press flowers:
- Pressing flowers in a book
- Wooden flower press
- Microwave flower press
- Pressing flowers with an iron
The supplies needed will vary for each method, so I’ll leave you to check out the related post for all the details.
Best methods of pressing flowers
Generally, the same rules apply in terms of picking the freshest, unblemished flowers to begin. Larger flowers with spherical shapes (e.g., roses, peonies) don’t lend themselves well to pressing, but you can always separate the petals to press.
There are trade-offs in time and quality for each method of flower pressing. Overall, my favorite method is using the microwave for the speed and ease of creating DIY pressed flower art.
Pressed flowers after microwavingHowever, the good, old-fashioned book press creates gorgeous paper-thin petals and does a great job of maintaining color. If you have a heavy book and 2-4 weeks to spare, it’s a great summer project for the kids!
When to use pressed flowers
You’ll want nice flattened flowers if you’re planning to make shallow resin crafts like a tray or coaster. Pressed flowers also come in handy to create beautiful wall art using a simple picture frame. I’m planning to decorate candles, mason jars, bookmarks, and mobile phone cases with my pressed beauties.
4. Using Silica Gel to Dry Flowers
Supplies
- Silica gel beads (not silica sand)
- Plastic container with tight-fitting lid
- Gloves/mask (optional but recommended)
Silica gel is a desiccant product that wicks moisture away from flowers. I have a complete guide on drying flowers with silica gel with a step-by-step tutorial on using this product if you go this route.
The basic technique involves pouring a layer of the fine crystals (about 1.5 inches) into your plastic container, placing your flowers on top, and layering more of the crystals around the petals.
Once you seal your container closed, you’ll need to wait 2-7 days for the flowers to dry completely. (The length of time will depend on the thickness of your blooms.) After you remove the flowers, you can use a soft brush to dust the excess crystals off your dried flowers.
This method works well with nearly any type of flower, though very delicate blossoms may give you fits, just like with any other method.
When to use silica gel
This is perhaps the most popular way to preserve wedding bouquets. It’s the perfect method for creating shadow box displays, three-dimensional resin crafts, and jewelry because you’ll get the best color retention and the softest texture.
While you can remove the stem and reattach it to the flower with wire after drying, this technique is more often used just to preserve the blossom.
5. Drying Flowers in the Microwave
If you want to use a microwave to dry flowers, you can buy a microwave flower press (for flat flowers) or use silica gel in a microwave-safe dish. Assuming you want to preserve the shape and body of the flowers, I’ll cover the latter option.
Supplies
- Silica gel
- Microwave-safe dish
- Cup of water
Once again, you’ll create a blanket of silica gel in your container and spread out your flowers before placing more gel on top.
Unlike the conventional method, you will not cover the container but instead, place a glass of water in the microwave with it. Follow the microwaving directions based on the flowers you’ve chosen (typically 1-3 minutes total in 1-minute increments).
Of course, like most time-saving techniques, you’ll face a slight loss in color retention versus the conventional method.
Here’s a look at how the last three methods compare. You can pin it on Pinterest for reference later.
When to use a microwave to dry flowers
Using silica gel in the microwave makes sense when you want nearly the maximum color retention but just can’t spare the time. For something like eco-friendly wedding confetti, it’s the perfect solution!
Project Ideas for Dried Flowers
If you’re here learning about ways to dry flowers, you probably have a project in mind already. Here are a few other dried flower crafts to spark your imagination:
- DIY wreath
- Floral swag
- Flower crown
- Pressed flower table numbers
- Potpourri
- Resin crafts (paperweights, coasters, phone case)
- Jewelry
- Wall art or shadow box
- Gift tags
Let me know in the comments what you plan to do with yours and tag me on Instagram (@firstdayofhome) to share your creations!
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How to properly dry flowers for any purpose?
Surely you have ever had to make herbariums. If they pleased you for a long time, then you dried the flowers correctly. But not everyone manages to preserve the natural beauty of summer almost in its original form, and inexperienced craftswomen have to throw away an unaesthetic dried flower. By following some simple rules, you will learn how to properly dry flowers, and you will be able to create different flower arrangements for a variety of purposes:
- interior decor;
- creating flower paintings;
- decoration of flowers in the form of a panel;
- floral arrangements;
- bouquets of dried flowers;
- flower preservation in glycerin and epoxy resin.
Do you keep dried flowers at home?
With the spread of Feng Shui practices now, many people began to have a question about the advisability of having dried flowers in the house. According to esoteric teachings, the drying of flowers is considered to be the conservation of energy, in which the flowers give the latter into the surrounding space. The teaching of Feng Shui, on the contrary, says that cut plants draw the energy of the owner. So it's up to you to choose which category of flower lovers you consider yourself to be. nine0003
Be that as it may, keeping dry bouquets in the house will reward you, in addition to beauty, with additional dust, which, well, loves to collect on all horizontal surfaces, and therefore on dried flowers. However, even with this problem there is a hint - you just need to sprinkle your dried flowers with hairspray. Then it will be much easier to remove the dust that has fallen on them and they will please you as long as possible.
What are the rules for picking flowers?
To get a quality bouquet, you must adhere to certain rules for their collection, namely:
- Flower picking time. Flowers should always be collected in dry weather after lunch, when the morning dew has dried on them. It is recommended to pick flowers two days after the rain, otherwise you risk getting rotten petals.
- It is better to cut the flowers closer to the root with special scissors, even if you are going to dry only the buds - because the longer the stem of the flower, the longer it will receive nutrients. In addition, if you hesitate along the way, you can put the stems in water and the flower bud will return to its shape, even if it has begun to wither. nine0006
- If you don't put the flowers directly into the book for drying, then it is better to pluck the incompletely blossomed buds - then your flowers will not crumble on the way home.
- When drying flowers in books, it is recommended to take a book with slip sheets with you and immediately put buds in it. This way you will get a wonderful herbarium. But, of course, you need to be careful in transportation.
Which flowers can be dried?
Almost all flowers are excellent for drying. Of course, some voluminous flowers such as peonies can only be dried in certain ways, but these are usually exceptions. Irises dry very poorly, changing color to almost unrecognizable, and poppies are also difficult to dry - you can only dry their individual petals. Many flowers change color - carnations, chicory, lilac, bulldenezh. It is better not to dry carnations and violets at all - they become pale and practically transparent. nine0003
Yellow, red, pink flowers show themselves well in drying. You can successfully dry all kinds of roses, bluebells, cornflowers, helichrysums, as well as gomphrenia, immortelle, physalis, daisies, forget-me-nots, brunner, marigolds, pansies, wild flowers, etc.
Hang drying dried flowers
Most popular how to dry flowers for decoration is to dry them in limbo. Flowers must be carefully prepared before drying. To do this, all rotten leaves, extra leaves, thorns are removed. Flowers are tied with an elastic band and hung at a distance of 20 cm from the ceiling with buds down. To hang flowers, they are attached with wire to a rope at a distance of 3-5 cm from the end of the stem at a short distance from each other. You can dry the flowers in a bouquet or one flower at a time. nine0003
For maximum results, it is desirable that you have a dry and dark room with good ventilation, and the temperature reaches from +10 to +18 degrees. Such compositions dry usually within 2-3 weeks, after which they are covered with hairspray.
Microwave drying of flowers
Drying of buds with silica gel and microwave oven gives good results. To do this, silica gel is poured into a suitable container, buds are placed on top of it, which are covered again with silica gel. The drying process is then adjusted every 30 seconds. When the desired result is achieved, the flower is removed from the desiccant after it has cooled. nine0003
How to dry flowers in semolina
Drying bulk flowers in semolina is very popular. This is one of the budget and affordable drying options. Small grains of cereals do not damage the thin petals of the flower and have excellent adsorption properties. Let's figure out how to dry the flowers in this cereal.
To dry flowers in semolina, first of all you need to pick them in dry weather, otherwise your blanks will simply rot. Then containers are prepared, where semolina is poured into the bottom with a layer of 2 cm. Flowers are laid out on this layer, with the middle down if they are open, or with the buds up if they are at the budding stage. After that, semolina is poured on top with a layer of 2-3 cm. If you have a high container, then you can lay out the flowers in layers. But do not overdo it - because the more flowers there are, the more moisture the semolina will absorb and may begin to rot. nine0003
When drying flowers in layers, it is best to place heavy flowers on the bottom and smaller ones on top. After falling asleep, leave the lid of the container open so that excess moisture evaporates. Depending on the volume of the flower, the flowers dry out usually from 3 to 14 days.
How to dry flowers in salt
Drying flowers in salt is essentially the same as drying flowers in semolina. It is only recommended to purchase finely ground salt for this purpose - extra, because salt with crystals can scratch delicate flower petals. The process of drying in salt is similar to drying in semolina. Depending on the volume of the flower, the flowers usually dry out in 20 to 35 days. After that, it is convenient to remove them by sifting through a sieve over a baking sheet or bucket. You can also take out the flowers with tweezers, but you can not find some small flowers. Remaining salt and cereals can be shaken off with a small paint brush. nine0003
Drying flowers in a book
Drying flowers in a book remains the most popular method of drying flowers. However, there are a couple of nuances here. First, old books with yellow pages absorb moisture best. Secondly, it is best to dry between two sheets of paper - this way you will not spoil the book pages and do not leave printing ink on the sheets. Thirdly, glossy editions are completely unsuitable for drying. You only deform the gloss, causing your flower to dry out and change color for a long time. nine0003
However, even if you put sheets of paper between the pages and dry the flowers in them, you will not avoid crumpled pages, especially if the flowers are very bulky. Therefore, it is better to choose books that are not very dear to you for drying. Drying flowers in laid sheets is very convenient - you can immediately see where the flower is and easily take it out. Drying sheets can be used repeatedly. After placing the flowers in the book, She is placed under the press. It might just be a stack of books on top. Usually after 7-14 days the flowers are completely dried. You can make notes on the book when you set certain flowers to dry. nine0003
Drying flowers with a special drying press
There are special presses for drying dried flowers. They are like drying flowers in a book, but they provide even pressure. The flowers are placed between the napkins and the layers are placed under the press. Napkins should be changed regularly, as they absorb moisture intensively. You can replace napkins with paper sheets.
Drying flowers with an iron
It is good to dry flat flowers or leaves with an iron. To do this, take napkins or tissue paper. Flowers are laid out between layers of paper. After that, they are ironed with an iron until the moisture evaporates. Pansies, primrose, clematis dry well in this way. Some flowers change their original color. nine0003
Drying flowers in a convection oven
A great way to dry flowers is to put them in a convection oven - but this has nothing to do with a conventional oven! Drying is carried out at 40 degrees in a special grid with cells. You can also use a pallet on which salt is poured on top. Thus, you will receive dried flowers in 8-10 hours.
Drying flowers by immersion in desiccant
Desiccant is used to dry especially large buds. To do this, you can use cat litter, silica gel or borax with flour (1 part borax to six parts flour). A little salt is added to the desiccant for color saturation. Usually it is 15 grams per 1 kg of raw materials. nine0003
Sprinkle desiccant on the bottom of the container. Lay the buds and sprinkle them with desiccant on top. Do not close the lid if you are using borax with flour. When using fillers, the lid of the containers closes tightly. Usually flowers dry in gel for 3-5 days, in flour - 10-14 days.
Drying flowers in cotton pads
Drying flowers in cotton pads to remove makeup is very popular. Flowers practically do not lose their original color, retain a partial volume and dry fairly quickly. To do this, you will need a book or a press and cotton pads. The flower is placed open bud down between two cotton pads on their denser side. After that, it is placed under the press or in a book, which is also placed under the press. After 3-5 days, the flower dries up. It becomes flat, but due to the volume of the cotton pad, it partially retains its shape. nine0003
Paraffin method
A very interesting way to preserve the life of flowers is the wax or paraffin method. Flowers are obtained as living and stand for a very, very long time. For this method, you need to melt enough paraffin in a water bath to subsequently immerse the flower in it. After receiving liquid paraffin, it can be poured into a more convenient container for working with it. While the paraffin is still liquid, the flower is completely immersed in paraffin for 1-2 seconds so that the leaves do not boil. Then we cool the flower a little and immerse it again 2-3 times. You can cover the flower with paraffin with a brush, carefully applying wax to each of the petals. After that, the flower is placed to dry vertically in a glass or hung on a rope. nine0003
How to preserve flowers in glycerin
You can stabilize flowers in glycerin yourself. There are two ways - with the complete immersion of flowers in glycerin or with the preservation of only buds. For both methods, glycerin is diluted with hot water in a ratio of 1:2.
When the water has cooled, a flower with a split stem is placed in it. After that, it is advisable to cover the buds with a bag and put them in a cool dark place. Then your flower will not wither in advance, without having time to be saturated with glycerin. Glycerin can be tinted with a special dye. Also, every day for two weeks, the stem of the flower is cut a little. nine0003
The second method involves the complete immersion of the flower in a container with the prepared solution. After the first week, the solution must be changed to a new one. It is also desirable to store the flower in a cool dark place. The container is pre-treated with boiling water from bacteria and hermetically sealed. After 14 days, the flowers can be removed or left in the solution.
What is the best way to keep the shape of the flowers?
If your goal is to place the flowers in a vase after drying, it is especially important to keep the original shape of the plants. For this, the paraffin and glycerine methods, as well as the conventional hanging drying method in a well-ventilated area, are recognized as the best drying methods. After all, the less pressure is placed on the flower, the better it retains its shape. Also, drying with semolina and silica gel allows you to maintain the original shape of the flowers. nine0003
Dried flowers for epoxy resin
For epoxy resin, all methods of drying flowers are suitable, except for paraffin and glycerine - since the resin does not come into contact with moisture. Drying flowers in semolina, cotton pads and silica gel is especially popular. They allow you to preserve the color and structure of the plant as much as possible, which of course will show itself perfectly in the manufacture of jewelry. It is important to use only well-dried flowers so that they do not later lose color in the finished product or rot. When working with dried flowers, it is recommended to pre-dip them in resin, and only then place them in molds - this guarantees getting rid of air bubbles that the flower can bring into the product. nine0003
Does the drying of flowers differ for different species
Some particularly fragile flowers such as wild rose, poppy, pelargonium can be dried in parts, collecting them in their original form in the finished work: panel, resin, painting.
Roses are recommended to hold over the steam for 15-20 seconds.
Fluffy compositions should be divided into smaller branches for better drying. For example, branches of bird cherry, acacia.
White roses, apple trees, lilacs turn yellow. It is better to choose pink tones. nine0003
Tips for Preserving a Dry Bouquet
To keep your dried flowers pleasing to the eye for as long as possible, try to protect them from direct sunlight. Also monitor the level of humidity in the room - even dried flowers do not like excessive dryness of the air. Dust your plants regularly. So you keep your flowers for quite a long time.
Features of drying flowers for tea
Many plants can be dried not only for decorative purposes. So, inflorescences of roses, chamomile, thyme, linden, lavender, chrysanthemum, marigolds, cornflowers, as well as leaves of cherries, cherries, apple trees, currants are perfect for making tea compositions. You can dry them in the usual way or ferment them. They have many useful substances and have a fragrant rich taste. nine0003
The easiest way to dry flowers while preserving their beauty :: Infoniak
24 June, 2018 03:22 51851 Flowers and houseplants
18+
Helpful hints
Flowers are given on special occasions, and often without them, just to cheer someone up. They decorate halls for celebrations and gifts. However, fresh flowers tend to fade quickly.
In addition, dried flowers are an inexpensive, but no less excellent alternative to a live bouquet. Lavender and roses, for example, retain their fragrance for a long time, delighting you, your loved ones and guests with them. nine0003
In this article, we will tell you how to keep the memory of a wonderful moment for a long time by drying the flowers that adorned the holiday of the soul and heart.
DIY herbarium
Air dry
Air-drying flowers is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to keep flowers as close to original as possible. This does not require special devices, devices or substances. nine0003
It is enough just to cut the flower you want to dry if it grows in your garden, or cut the stem to the length you need if it is in a vase on your table. Remove thorns and leaves from the bottom of the stem, tie the branches into one bunch so that the buds do not deteriorate or deform. Hang the bouquet in a well-ventilated area, away from sunlight, otherwise the flowers will simply fade.
The whole process can take from several days, so be patient and the result will amaze you. However, it is worth remembering that the flower will lose in the ode and will become about half as small, and will also lose its original light. However, do not be upset - their vintage look will add zest to your product. nine0003
Microwave dry
Drying flowers in the microwave is currently the newest, fastest and most effective way. One of its main advantages is that the color and shape of the flower practically do not change. It retains its former beauty. However, it is worth remembering that this method is not suitable for small delicate flowers.
In order to dry the flower in the microwave, you will need either a small amount of silica gel or cat litter crystals. Place the silica gel or crystals in a microwave safe dish. Make a small notch in them with your finger, put a bud in it and fill it with crystals as carefully as possible. nine0003
After that, turn on the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Check the flower every 30 seconds until it is completely dry. Leave the flower together with the crystals to cool. Carefully remove the flower from the crystals and enjoy the result. Most flowers dry within 1-3 minutes. Remember that the juicier the petals, the more time they need.
Dry flowers
Way for the lazy nine0003
For especially lazy beauty lovers, there is a way to dry flowers that does not require much effort. Hydrangea, for example, is ideal for this purpose. Cut the stem of the hydrangea along with the bud to the length you need. It is worth cutting when the petals feel like paper to the touch.
Place the stems in a vase with some water and wait for the water to evaporate. At first it may seem that the flower is losing its original beauty, but do not forget that it dries up, and it is normal that it changes shape and color. A few weeks later, use them as a decoration, or just leave them standing in a vase. nine0003
Press dry
Be warned that this method is not suitable for drying flowers with bulky buds if you want to keep their shape - they will simply become flat. The ideal choice would be daisies, dandelions, carnations and other flowers that do not deform much under pressure, but the final decision is up to you.
In order to dry the flowers under pressure and preserve their beauty, collect healthy plants without spots and damage. It is best to cut them on a sunny day, if there has been no rain for some time, so that drops of water or dew do not remain on the petals. nine0003
Cover the flower with parchment or baking paper and place it face down in a thick, heavy book. It is desirable that this be a telephone directory. After that, leave the flower under pressure for 7-10 days, sometimes checking the result if desired.
See also: 10 flowers you can eat
Gift flowers
Dry with silica gel
This method is ideal for drying large, whole flowers. Initially, salt and sand were used for traditional drying. However, these materials are more difficult to clean, the process takes 6 to 8 weeks, and the result is always unpredictable.
Nowadays, instead of sand and salt, silica gel is used - transparent or white crystals, sometimes with blue splashes. It allows you to dry the flower in a few days, preserving its original color and shape as much as possible. Often, plants dried with silica gel look almost the same as freshly harvested. nine0003
The silica gel absorbs the liquid from the plant, and the blue crystals turn pink, signaling that the maximum possible amount of liquid has come out of it. The process must take place in a sealed container.
In addition, silica gel can be reused - for this it only needs to be thoroughly dried. To do this, the used crystals must be placed on a baking sheet and sent to the oven, heated to 210 degrees Celsius. When the crystals turn blue again, they can be reused. nine0003
How to save flowers
Water dryer
Another traditional method is water drying. It sounds very contradictory, but this method allows you to freely maintain the shape and color of the plant. It is great for flowers with strong stems and those that you want to keep that stem.
In order for the process to be successful, you need some kind of vessel, deep plate or container. Pour the minimum amount of water on the bottom, and place your flower there. Over time, the water will begin to evaporate, and the flowers will dry without much stress on them, retaining their color and shape. This may take about 1-2 weeks. nine0003
Oven drying
In order to dry the flowers in the oven, the temperature must be low - no more than 38ºC, otherwise they will simply burn out and lose their beauty. People have been using this method since the invention of ovens, because it is very convenient and does not require additional costs.
It's great because it's a lifesaver if you don't have room for air drying in your home, or if you need to dry something in a short amount of time. It can also be used as a kind of insurance. If you are not sure that when drying in air or in water, all the moisture has come out of the flower, and it will not become moldy, put it in the oven - this gives one hundred percent result. nine0003
To do this, you need to set the temperature in the oven to 38ºC and open the door slightly so that excess moisture can freely escape. Arrange the flowers or petals in a single layer on baking paper and place the baking sheet in the oven.
Watch the process and turn the flowers every 15 minutes. When the flowers become brittle and crispy, take them out of the oven and the decoration is ready. Depending on what you are drying, the process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, so try not to dry several different types at the same time. nine0003
See also: 10 most fragrant flowers
How to dry a rose
Drying daffodils
Daffodils are delicate bulbous flowers that reveal their true beauty in early spring. They are very hardy. Their unique aroma, playfully white or sunny yellow color pleases every lucky person who has these beautiful flowers growing in the garden, or just standing in a vase on the table. nine0003
In order to keep a piece of spring freshness in the house for a long time, you can dry daffodils for memory, or for decoration. This does not require additional costs, but the result will delight you every day, even when the flowering of daffodils is over.
Drying daffodils is best in two ways - in the air, if you want to keep their shape, or under pressure, if you need to reduce their volume. For air drying, you need to choose a suitable place for this. The process itself is not very different from the process of drying other flowers. nine0003
You need a dark, dry, well-ventilated room. To prevent the flowers from fading, avoid direct sunlight on them, because it will be impossible to return their color. Avoid also damp and damp places, otherwise the flowers will not dry out, but rot.
Clean daffodils without damage, stains or lumps of soil on the petals, tie into a bunch of 2-3 things so that air circulates between them, and hang these bunches in the chosen room. Or just arrange the flowers individually on baking paper - the effect will be the same. nine0003
Check them every few days. Make sure that the flowers and stems do not have a drop of moisture left, that they are fragile and brittle, otherwise there is a risk that they will become moldy or rot.
Dry roses
These beautiful flowers are often presented on special occasions, or they decorate the room and various compositions. If you cherish the memory of this wonderful day or person, you can easily dry your stunning roses before they wither and lose their former beauty. They will delight you every day, reminding you of the brightest moments of your life. nine0003
It is worth remembering that you need to choose a rose not only with the most pleasant color, but also without defects, with a small amount of moisture in and on the petals. Excess moisture will cause rotting, and stains and damage during the drying process will become even more pronounced.
Even if it seems to you that it is better to cut the stem at the very bud, you should not do this. Leave about 15 centimeters, and the result will exceed all expectations. It is better to remove all foliage from the stem, it will only interfere with the drying process, because the leaves contain a large amount of moisture. nine0003
Collect roses, like other flowers, in bunches with an elastic band, however, when drying roses, it is worth remembering that the elastic band should not be caught at the very beginning of the stem. Step back about 5-7 centimeters. If you are afraid that when making a bouquet of dry roses, fragile petals will be damaged, you can collect them into the bouquet you need immediately before drying, if it consists of a small number of buds.
In order to dry roses, it is better to use a place that you rarely use, but where it is not damp - a closet, for example, or an attic is perfect, because it is better to touch the flowers as little as possible during the drying process.