Three Basics of Drying Flowers
We all love the beauty of a flower garden, and we love the thought and meaning behind some of the flowers we have been given through the years – those to commemorate happy times like weddings, graduations, and births, and pivotal times, such as funerals and maybe a corsage from a boyfriend that may not last forever. We can’t keep people or moments forever, but we can keep memories and memorabilia. One easy way to do that is to go through the process of drying flowers. That doesn’t mean that they will never crumble, but they will be beautiful for years with a little protection and care.
Three Basics of Drying Flowers
- Choose flowers that can be dried well
- Air dry flowers
- Microwave dry flowers
Some flowers are very delicate and may not be able to be dried well. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, but it does mean that lilies and daisies may not dry as well as roses and gardenias.
You can air dry flowers by hanging them upside down on a wire hanger with dental floss and keeping them in a dark dry place, such as a basement or closet. Just make sure the environment is not damp. If the environment is damp, the flowers can actually grow mold and a musty scent.
Another popular way to dry flowers is to dry them in the microwave. You will need silica gel, which you can find at craft stores. For this method, place about an inch of silica gel in a microwave safe dish, then place the flowers you wish to dry on top of the gel. Carefully pour more silica gel over the flowers until they are covered, then place the uncovered dish in the microwave. Microwave temps vary, so carefully watch your flowers. Try your flowers on defrost for 3 – 5 minutes and add more time as needed. Once the flowers are dry, open the microwave and immediately cover the container. Remove the covered container from the microwave, open the top a quarter of a centimeter, and let it sit for a full 24 hours. After that, carefully clean the gel off the flowers with a fine brush and mist with acrylic spray.
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