I've never met someone who doesn't like flowers!
What if I told you there was a way you could have flowers that look amazing but lasted longer than a week as fresh flowers do?
Today, we are here to give you some great tips on how to dry flowers, or you can visit our range of flower arrangements if you don’t have the patience or time.
How to Dry Flowers
First, get a fresh bunch of flowers. Then, strip the stems of any excess leaves and bunch each type of flower together with a rubber band. Finally, tie it upside down and hang it in a dark, dry room with good circulation. Leave to dry out for 2-3 weeks.
If you have been scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest lately, you may have noticed that preserved and dried flowers are a big trend, and we don’t see them stopping anytime soon.
They are the perfect gift for yourself or someone you care about.
We love drying our flowers, but we have some great local suppliers for those we can't source and dry ourselves.
There are many benefits of dried flowers as opposed to fresh ones. They are economical as an arrangement can cost between $80 to AUD$200+, but they will last you for years.
You can invest in a large arrangement, and your money won’t be wasted as they are made to last, as opposed to buying expensive fresh flowers that end up withering and dying after a week or two at the most.
Dried florals come in various colours, shapes and sizes - with an arrangement or dried flower bouquet to suit everyone.
They are trendy in homes, stores and at events. Drying flowers is easy, but finding the right flowers to dry can be challenging.
1. How to Air Dry Flowers: Step-by-Step Instructions
Things you’ll need:
- Flowers
- Scissors, ideally florist scissors
- String or Rubber Band
- Stick or a Hanger
- Carefully remove any excess foliage from the flower stems. If you like the look of some of the greenery, leave this as it will dry as well. Cut the stems to your desired length.
- Tie the flower stems together with a string or rubber band. Then, find a dark and dry room or closet with good circulation. Secure the stems upside down to a hanger and leave the flowers to dry for two weeks.
- Once dried (yes, you can occasionally check on them), remove the flowers from the hanger and lightly spray with hairspray to protect the delicate flowers.
- Put the flowers together in a vase or bouquet and place them in your home or give them to someone as a gift.
2. Short on Time: How to Dry Flowers in the Microwave
What you’ll need:
- Flowers
- Silica gel
- Microwave-safe container
- A cup of water
- Find a microwave-safe container that is big enough to fit your selected flowers in. Please ensure this container is specifically for drying flowers since you won't want to use it for food afterwards.
- Pour 1-2 inches of silica gel into the container; add more silica if your flowers are pretty big. Carefully place the flowers in the silica gel with the flower head facing up. Pour more gel over the petals so the flowers are completely covered. Do this carefully, as you want to ensure you don’t squish the flowers.
- Place the flower container in the microwave with a cup of water. Heat in your microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Keep checking until the flowers appear to be dried. All flowers and microwaves vary, but it should take a few minutes.
- Once the flower’s petals appear dry, place them back under the silica gel sand and leave for 24 hours to dry out completely.
- Carefully remove the flowers from the sand and lightly brush off any remaining silica gel. Spray with hairspray to help them last. Place your flowers on display in your home or use them in a craft project.
3. Drying flowers with Silica Gel
Suppose you have more time and are looking for a crafty project.
You can dry flowers using silica gel without having to use a microwave. This will ensure that the flowers are well-preserved and retain their bold colours.
If you need help determining where to buy silica gel, various websites sell it, or you can visit your local craft store.
If you are drying multiple blooms with longer stems, you will need a large container.
Place the flowers in the container, cover them with silica gel sand and leave them covered to dry for a few days.
Using this method, lighter flowers like daisies, ferns, lilacs, etc., will take around 2-3 days to dry.
Baby's breath, hydrangeas, carnations, etc., will take about 3-4 days.
Flowers like roses, calendula, scabiosa, etc., take 4 to 5 days to dry.
This is our favourite way to dry and preserve flowers as they hold their colour and sometimes can be mistaken for fresh flowers.
How to Care for Your Dried Flowers:
So you've just dried your flowers! But now you're wondering - how do I care for dried flowers?
- Keep your dried flowers out of direct sunlight
- Keep away from direct heating or air-conditioning
- Lightly dust-dried flowers, once needed, with a feather duster
- If your flowers look a little sad, send us a message, and we may be able to replace some with fresher preserved or dried blooms.
We would love to see your very own flowers! Tag us on Instagram so we can see your dried or preserved blooms.