My little ones love to choose flowers for me, however some varieties can die so rapidly. Drying and preserving flowers is a good way to avoid wasting these reminiscences or to make use of the flowers in another way. There are numerous ideas and methods on the best way to dry and protect flowers, and at this time, I’m sharing a number of easy concepts with you.
Drying and Preserving Flowers
I like it when summer season comes and brings with it so many lovely flowers. Then, by the point fall comes round, I begin fascinated about methods to make these lovely flowers pleasing all winter. Listed here are a number of easy ideas and methods on drying and preserving flowers to be able to just do that.
Air Drying Flowers
Air drying is without doubt one of the most typical methods to dry flowers. One of the best tip is to tie the stems tightly with a chunk of string and cling them the other way up in a well-ventilated space. Make sure that to hold them in a room with low mild and little disturbance. Go away them to hold for 2 weeks or longer to permit them to utterly dry.
Leaving them in an space the place the solar is available in too brightly (direct daylight) will bleach the colour out of the flowers, eradicating their vibrancy. As soon as utterly dry, you possibly can spray them with hairspray to assist maintain the petals and leaves intact for the long run.
Flowers that work greatest with this methodology: Roses, Lavender, Child’s Breath, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Strawflower
Silica Gel for Preserving Flowers
Silica Gel may be discovered at craft shops like Interest Foyer or Michael’s, or you’ll find it on Amazon. It’s sometimes close to the ornamental sand. Place your flowers in a bowl and submerge them within the silica gel. Go away them undisturbed for seven days, after which fastidiously take away them.
They need to look precisely as they did if you positioned them within the gel, however they’ll now be dry.
Flowers that work greatest with this methodology: Roses, Daisies, Zinnias, Carnations
Microwave Oven for Drying Flowers
Place your flowers, separately, in a microwave-safe bowl or a microwave-safe container, and canopy them solely in cat litter. Microwave on excessive for 5 minutes. Enable the cat litter to chill earlier than trying to take away the flowers.
This methodology retains the colour vibrant. Yow will discover a small bag of kitty litter on the dollar store and reuse the identical cat litter repeatedly, so that you’re not losing lots. Solely do that in small bunches at a time.
Flowers that work greatest with this methodology: Roses, Daisies, Tulips, Chrysanthemums, Carnations
Urgent Flowers to Protect
To press the blooms flat and protect them in that means, all you want are some absorbent supplies and a heavy guide! Fold a paper towel a number of occasions, after which lay your bloom face up on the paper towel. Fold the paper towel excessive.
Then, fold a chunk of newspaper excessive of the paper towel. After folding your flower between the a number of layers, shut it in the midst of a guide. Stack different books on high of the guide with the flower to assist compress the supplies.
The additional layers of paper you wrap across the flower will assist maintain the flower from molding and can soak up all of the moisture launched from the flower so it dries sooner and prettier. Enable this to arrange for 2 to 3 weeks earlier than disturbing.
Flowers that work greatest with this methodology: Daisies, Lavender, Sunflowers, Gerbera Daisies
Drying Flowers with a Dehydrator
You too can use a dehydrator to preserve and dry flowers. Evenly house your flowers out on the trays, being certain to not allow them to overlap. In the event that they overlap, they’ll seemingly stick collectively and harm your blooms. Set the temperature to 120, and permit it to run for 3 to 4 hours. After these hours, your flowers must be superbly dried and preserved!
Flowers that work greatest with this methodology: Chrysanthemums, Daisies, Lavender, Roses, Carnations, Yarrow
So whether or not you need to protect a particular reminiscence or memento bouquet or dry some fairly flowers out of your yard, these strategies ought to profit you.
Methods to Use Dried Flowers
You too can use these strategies to protect flowers for crafts, DIY products, and sachet luggage. Listed here are a number of concepts to get you began!
What strategies do you utilize when drying and preserving flowers? What do you utilize your dried flowers for?
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been running a blog about and living the simple life since 2009 and has internationally printed 2 books on the subject. You’ll be able to examine Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You’ll be able to ship her a message any time from the Contact Page.
This publish on Drying and Preserving Flowers was initially printed on Little Home Residing in August 2017. It has been up to date as of October 2023.
