Dry natural flowers in 11 easy ways without changing shape and color
Drying fresh flowers is one of the best ways to preserve them. Do you know what points should be paid attention to when drying natural flowers and what methods exist for drying natural flowers? Stay with us for all the ways and tips.
Wedding bouquets, show bouquets or graduation party bouquets are memorable gifts that you can keep as souvenirs by drying them. Also, with the summer season approaching, many women are thinking of creating works of art out of natural flowers.
It is possible to dry fresh flowers in several ways, which can vary depending on the type of flower. You can do these methods easily without any complicated tools. Stay tuned for different ways to dry fresh flowers at home in this article.
The best way to dry natural flowers
There are many ways to dry natural flowers. In the rest of the article, you will learn about 11 of the best ways.
1. Press dry the flower
The pressing method is suitable for small flowers with flat petals such as violets and jasmine, and it usually takes one to three weeks to dry flowers in this way. To dry natural flowers in this way, do the following:
Remove the flowers from the stem and place them inside newspaper, paper, or something that absorbs moisture, then place the flowers back between another sheet of paper and wrap them with masking tape.
Put the packed flowers in the middle of the pages of a thick book and close the book. To press the flowers, it is best to put something heavy like a book, box, etc. on it.
After a week, open the package and if the flowers are not yet dry, replace the newspaper in which you placed the flowers.
After the flowers are dry, you can frame them or place them in decorative pots.
2. Hang dry the flowers
The most common (and almost foolproof) way to dry fresh flowers is to hang the flowers in small bunches or individually. For this, you can use a clothes hanger and a plastic elastic. to do this. Follow next steps:
First, tie the flowers together at the stem part. Then connect it to the clothes hanger in a row and hang it on the clothes hanger rod inside the wardrobe. If the stems are delicate, you can use dental floss to tie them off. You can also hang it on a pole or rope, as long as it is parallel to the ground.
This method takes several weeks and the petals may fall off during this time. But if you want to put flowers in a vase, this method is the best because it preserves the stem.
3. Microwave dry fresh flowers
If you can't wait for the flowers to dry in the corner for a few weeks, this is the way to go. Place the flowers (without the stems) in a microwave-safe bowl. We recommend covering the flowers with a mixture of sand and silica or a mixture of borax and cornmeal. Do not close the container and microwave for 1 minute on high. If the flowers have not dried within this time, repeat the same process for another minute to dry. Finally, leave the flowers in the composition for a day to dry completely.
4. Dry the flowers in the oven
This method of drying natural flowers is suitable for flowers with small and multiple petals, such as chrysanthemums and wheat flowers.
To prevent the stem of the flower from shifting, insert a thin wire into its stem. Place the flowers on the oven floor lined with greaseproof paper or fireproof netting. To keep the color of the flowers consistent, it is best to insert the wire into the net so that the flowers remain firm and do not change color. Next, set the oven temperature to 100°C and leave the flowers in the oven for a few hours to make sure they are dry. After the flowers have dried and then cooled, apply hair spray to them and enjoy their beauty.
5. Dry the natural clay with sand
This natural flower drying method is suitable for flowers such as monkey flower and tongue-in-the-back, and usually takes three to four weeks. In this method, you have to pour sand or fine and completely dry sand into a cup or box, then put the flowers on it and cover the surface of the flowers with clean sand again, instead of sand, you can also use washing powder. . In this method, the flowers need airflow to dry and the container should never completely close.
6. Drying the natural flower with glycerin
The method of drying natural flowers using glycerin is as follows:
Mix 1 cup of glycerin with 2 cups of hot water and apply this solution to the surface of the flower using a brush, then put the flower on a paper towel and wait a few days for it to dry.
To dry cluster fruits such as grapes, eucalyptus branches, camellias, and roses, you can add a little salt to the above solution and put the branches in it. Flower water evaporates over time and is replaced by glycerin.
Drying flowers this way can take between three days and three weeks, depending on the type of flower. When the leaves contain a little moisture, this means that glycerin has reached them in sufficient quantity. Drying the flowers in this way helps keep the flowers soft and supple.
7. Use silica gel
Silica gel can quickly absorb moisture from flowers. In this method, compared with other materials and natural flower drying methods, the color and size of the flowers are better preserved.
❌ Note: Silica gel is non-toxic, but keep in mind that this substance absorbs the toxins of the plants you are drying. Therefore it is recommended to use plastic gloves when using silica gel.
To dry the flower with silica gel, first choose a container with a lid that does not allow air to penetrate and in which the flower is completely isolated from the air inside. If the container is not completely emptied and air penetrates into it, the silica gel will absorb the moisture of the free air rather than the moisture of the flower.
Place the freshly cut flower in the container and fill it with blue or orange silica gel with small spherical granules (granules) to a height of 3 to 4 cm. So, place the flowers in the container and using a large spoon, pour the silica gel around the flowers in such a way that it fills under each petal without applying the extra weight of the silica gel. Continue pouring the silica gel until the flower is completely covered with the silica gel.
If you plan to dry several flowers at the same time, be sure to separate them. Then close the lid of the container completely and place it in the shade and at normal room temperature until the flower in the container has dried out after about 3 days.
Marking the date and time on the container will help you a lot in controlling when to dry the flowers.
To control how dry the flowers are, touch them gently with your finger; In this case, the flowers must be dry and clean, otherwise leave them in the same condition for a longer period. When you are sure the flowers are dry, slowly empty the silica gel out of the pot until you can grab the flowers by the root.
When removing the dried flower from the pot, gently remove the silica gel from the petals using a clean, dry paintbrush and pour it into the container. Make sure there is no silica gel sticking to the petals.
Some flowers, such as daffodils, tulips, tulips, and crocuses, are difficult to dry. Because these flowers hold a lot of water, but you can dry them very well with a little care. All these flowers have fleshy roots and delicate petals, and the difficulty is that the drying of the flowers must take place quickly enough to preserve purity, freshness, and the natural color and condition of the petals, and for this purpose the silica gel must be heated. Dries completely.
To dry roses, carnations, and flowers with many petals in general, you need to place them upside down in silica gel. When drying several flowers in the same container, it is best if they are all of the same type, because they will all dry at the same time. If the flowers are not of the same type, some other flower petals may break off while controlling the flowers to ensure they are dry.
❌ Note: Since silica gel has a high ability to absorb moisture, contact with it will dry out your skin, so it is recommended to use plastic gloves when working with silica gel.
some notes:
To dry flowers and leaves with silica gel, it is essential to dry the flowers when they are in the best possible shape, as any irregularities and imperfections become more noticeable after drying.
Another important point is that the flowers must be completely dry. If there is dew or other moisture on the petals when covered with silica gel, the silica gel will stick to the petals, and when you remove the silica gel from the petals, the state of the flower will be damaged and some petals will be damaged. separated from the flower.
It is recommended to wrap the roots and stems of delicate flowers with wire before placing them in silica gel, as the flowers become more fragile and delicate after drying. Since the flowers you are drying have different humidity levels, it is not possible to imagine an exact time for the flowers to dry. This time depends on the type and size of the flower, the amount of moisture in the flower and the type of silica gel.
Silica gel absorbs moisture in about 30% of its own weight, after which it no longer has the property of absorbing moisture. Therefore, at a temperature of about 110°C, the water inside the silica gel granules evaporates and can be used again.
Flowers that can be dried well in silica gel include anemones, hyacinths, hyacinths, carnations, orchids, peonies, primroses, roses, dragonflies, primroses, azaleas, monkey lilies, jasmine, marigolds, sunflowers, daffodils, and dahlias. , geranium, chrysanthemum. , antonium, all kinds of leaves and ...
8. Use a hairspray or setting spray to dry the natural flower
Using hairsprays or makeup setting sprays are other ways to dry natural flowers. For this purpose, remove the extra, ugly and wilted branches and place tufts of hair on the flower in the open space. So that the entire surface is covered with mud. Using these sprays helps the flower dry faster and maintain its natural condition. Next, hang the flower upside down in a dark, dry place until the flower is completely dry.
9. Dry the natural flower using a heavy, thick book
You can dry fresh flower branches using books. In order for the flowers to fit more easily between the pages of the book, it is best to cut the flower stalks. And so that the moisture of the flowers does not discolor or spoil the writing on the book, put paper like newspaper between the pages of the book. Then put 1-2 flowers inside these pages and slowly close the book.
Once the flowers are inside the book, place several heavy books on top of it so that the flowers are under a lot of pressure. The extra pressure helps to dry early and keep the flowers in shape. Allow the flowers to remain in this condition for up to two weeks until they are completely dry.
Then put the flowers in a large picture frame. To stick dry flowers in the frame, you need glue. After placing the flowers in the glue, gently place them in the frame and keep them in this position for a few seconds, then leave the frame in an open environment for 2-3 hours so that the gases generated by the glue are removed from the frame environment and the glue is well dried.
Try to match the color of the border of the frame to the color of the dried flower. Then slowly drop the glass onto the frame in a way that doesn't damage the flowers, secure the frame to your wall, and enjoy.
10. Iron dry fresh flowers
We use the ironing method to dry the natural flower faster. In this way, we place the flower between paper towels, put some newspaper on it and dry it with an iron.
11. Dehydration to dry the natural clay
To quickly dry the flowers, they use a dehydrator (food dehydrator or fruit dehydrator), oven, or microwave, so that the flowers are completely dry within a few hours.
What is the best time to dry fresh flowers?
To ensure that the flowers retain their color, they must be removed from the stem before they open fully. Flowers should also be dried in a cool, dark environment so that sunlight does not alter their color.
For drying natural flowers (such as wedding bouquets), it's best to do so right after the ceremony, as it will likely be at least a day after you cut them from the branch. If someone brings you a bouquet of roses, you might be tempted to leave them in the vase until all the flowers have bloomed. But if you really want to keep the flowers forever for sentimental reasons, you have to dry them before they fully open.
