Flowers are always a good idea. Whether you love them blooming in your yard, fresh cut in a vase, or dried around the house, flowers are amazing to have around. One of the great ways to savor flowers longer is to dry them!
You can always buy dried florals from your favorite local florist—*cough* *cough* US!!!—or an artisan or you can try it for yourself. There are some flowers that dry better than others and different ways to get the job done. This is not a comprehensive guide to drying flowers because I’m not an expert in all the ways, but I can share tricks to easily preserve your favorite flowers!
Natural-Hanging
This is the most common way of preserving flowers. Whether one single stem speaks to your heart or you want to safe keep an entire bouquet, you can naturally dry flowers by hanging them.
Take your flowers and turn them upside down. Wrap the stems tightly with string, leaving a piece long enough to easily hang them with. Let them dry for two to three weeks. The more moisture in the flower, the longer it will take for it to completely dry out.
Choosing a proper place to dry your flowers is the most important. The flowers will dry best in a dark, cool area. Keep them out of the kitchen or the bathroom; there is a lot of moisture in those rooms that will make it difficult if not impossible for the flowers to properly dry. You also want to make sure the flowers are drying out of direct sunlight. Too much sun will scorch the flower’s petals causing them to shrivel and crisp up.
Alternative Drying
Silica is a quick and efficient way of drying flowers. To do so properly, you’ll need to fill an air tight container with about an inch and a half of silica beads before placing the flowers facing up inside. Add more silica around the flowers without covering them fully. Put the lid back in place, making sure the seal is tight. The process should take between two and four days. For very thick buds, it will take an extra day or two.
Pressing
Another popular and easy way to preserve flowers is by pressing. It’s simple as long as you have a big book, wax paper, and, of course, flowers. You’ll want to line the pages of the book with wax paper before putting the flowers in to prevent moldy pages. Lay the flower on the wax paper the way you want to preserve it. Close the book tightly. If you’re dealing with a thick or large flower (such as roses and peonies), you will need to disassemble the flower to ensure the book can close completely.
Artificially
It is possible to artificially stunt a flower. There are several ways of doing so. I would love to tell you how to do it, but it is a tricky process, involving chemicals and involved techniques. There are florists and artisans who specialize in these processes. They are incredibly good at what they do, and I highly suggest finding a trusted one with any florals that are deeply meaningful.
There are different ways of preserving flowers. I’ll name a few, but this is not a comprehensive list nor is it a how to guide.
- Flowers can be dipped in resin to preserve them just as they are.
- Through a glycerine heavy formula that rehydrates the flower by substituting the sap with chemicals.
- Freeze drying flowers to extract the moisture.
- Bleaching is another complicated process.
- Dipping flowers in wax.
I’m sure there are other ways to do it, but this is the list that I can come up with off the top of my head. If you’re really interested in having your flowers preserved by an artisan, you should! Flowers are always a good idea.