The natural dried flowers displayed in the vases bring a touch of joy to any environment. Drying them is a way to preserve their beauty before they fade. Whether it’s your bridal bouquet or a composition that was offered to you on a special occasion, to dry the flowers or an entire bouquet you need some precautions to follow.
You will thus be able to make their beauty and sentimental value eternal . You may not get the original bright and vibrant color of the ones you just cut, but they will still be pleasing to the eye. If you want to know how to dry the flowers correctly while keeping the colors alive and the structure intact, you are in the right place! We will guide you step by step in thedrying process , to prevent them from turning brown. How to dry flowers while maintaining color
As a general rule, flowers need water . But if you want to keep them to keep admiring them for years to come, you’ll need to dry them and do it right instead. Air drying is the traditional method of drying flowers , although it is the slowest. You place the flowers upside down and wait. It is good for bouquets, floral arrangements and larger flowers, such as sunflowers. Here are the steps to follow to dry the flowers in the air:
- To get the best color cut the flowers , with scissors, before the buds are completely open or you risk that the petals come off during the drying process
- Remove any excess leaves
- Tie the flowers together and hang them upside down in a dark, dry and well-ventilated area, a closet is also fine
- If the stems are delicate, use dental floss to tie them together
- Leave them like this for two or three weeks until they are completely dry
- Spray hair spray on it
Your flowers are ready to be admired. How to dry your flowers quickly
If you don’t want to wait weeks for your flowers to dry, there are alternative methods, such as microwaving. This technique is good for single flowers or corollas , not bouquets. The material you will need is:
- 4 pieces of cardboard, the one for pizza is fine too
- 2 rubber bands
- Paper towels
- The flowers
Place the flowers you want to dry in the center of a handkerchief, cover them with another one and place the cardboard tied with the two rubber bands above and below. Put everything in the microwave set on medium temperature for 1/2 minutes. Check if everything has dried and repeat the operation for another 30 seconds if necessary. Wait until they are cold to detach them from the sheet of paper. Quick drying flowers with silica gel
Another method of drying flowers quickly is using silica gel, a substance similar to sand that can absorb water quickly. Perfect for use with roses, hydrangeas, lavender and whole bouquets. Choose bulk silica gel,white, colored ones can make the flowers turn blue. You can put the flowers in a jar with the gel or in a container. In the second case, place about 2 cm of gel on the bottom, place the flowers and cover with more gel , close with a lid and wait 5/6 days without opening. With this process, you will get vibrantly colored and well-preserved flowers in no time. Pressed Flowers in a Book Pressing flowers into old books is something that takes us back to when we were children, and is still a useful method of storing flowers. It’s best to use a large book or add something heavy on top to add pressure. The flowers to be pressed must be collectedwhen there is less humidity, the ideal is dry weather. Prefer flat corollas as a choice. Place the flowers on blotting paper without overlapping them, cover with another sheet and close the book. You can also tighten it with an elastic or strap. When your natural dried flowers are ready you can use them to decorate the rooms, to create small squares, use them as decoration for greeting cards, place cards and jewels. Dried flowers can last a long time regardless of the technique used, but be careful to always keep them away from direct sunlight and heat, so they will retain their beauty and color.
