Drying roses in 7 easy and technical ways
Roses are one of those flowers that are mostly given as gifts in romantic meetings and occasions, and keeping them for a long time can remind us of the same beautiful memories. One way to preserve roses for a long time is to dry them. In this article, we teach you the simplest ways to dry roses at home.
Roses can be dried in different ways. Some of these methods are older and require more time. Others are faster, like the method of using a microwave or silica gel. Let's find out about these methods together.
1. Hang dry the roses
You can air dry most half-opened and blooming flowers. Because the flowers can dry out while they are opening little by little. Since a fully opened flower may lose its petals during the drying phase, it is best to use a half open flower. This method works best for small flowers with thicker branches, such as lavender and marigold.
🌹 Note: The effects of fading and pests appear more in dry flowers, so use completely healthy and pest-free flowers for drying. But how do we hang dry flowers?
The first stage
Cut the flowers into small bunches. Remove and discard all leaves, and wrap similar flowers into separate bouquets. Each bouquet can contain up to 10 flower branches. Avoid grouping large flowers such as hydrangeas or hydrangeas, roses and peonies, as each must be dried separately. Delicate flowers like myena, which have a thin branch, are crushed after drying. Therefore, it is better to shorten the stems of these flowers and tie them together with wire.
Now tie the stems of each group together with plastic tape. Wrap the rubber band a few times around the stems and tighten them completely. Tie the rubber band not so tight that it crushes the flower stalks, and not so loose that the flowers fall out of the bouquet after drying. Because the stems become thin after drying and if you tie the elastic loosely, the flowers will fall off.
The second phase
Hang the bouquets upside down. The place to hang the bouquets must be dry, dark and warm so that the flowers do not rot and do not change color. The airflow also causes the flowers to dry faster and prevents the growth of pests and fungi. So hang the bouquets at a suitable distance in a place with good ventilation and at least 15 cm from the ceiling.
You can use nails, hooks, clothespins, and string to hang the flowers. Another way is to use a paperclip, open it like the picture and turn it to the S position. Place one end under the rubber band and attach the other end with a string to a nail or clip.
Now wait for 2 to 4 weeks. Flowers are dried when the petals are dry and brittle. It is very rare that the flower does not dry out for up to four weeks, and this is usually due to the inappropriate conditions of the place or the petals being too thick.
In this method of drying flowers, the stems are usually dried straight and flat; If you like the stems to be more curved and natural, leave them in a bowl full of warm water for a while to soften them up. Then change the stems to the shape you like and leave them in the previous place to dry again.
Step Three (Optional)
In order to keep the flowers healthy longer, you can spray hairspray (tuff) or flower maintenance spray on the flowers so the petals don't fall off or break.
2. Microwave dry the roses with a moisture-absorbing powder
This method is suitable for flowers with many petals. For example, roses, marigolds, marigolds and parsley are among the flowers that dry well in this way. Of course, this method is not the solution for thick petals. To microwave flowers, use healthy, half-open flowers that do not have petals falling off.
In this method, the stems should be shortened as much as possible, and it is best if they are about 2 to 5 cm in size.
First step (optional)
If you want stems to form after drying, wrap wire around the stems in a spiral. Then make the stem the shape you want. However, the point to be aware of at this point is that the wire should not be wrapped tightly around the stems and if the stems are very thin and brittle, then instead of wrapping the wire stick it to the stems, also try to use thin wires.
The second phase
Place the absorbent powder in a microwave-safe plastic container. Absorbent powder is a special chemical that absorbs moisture. Silica gel is one such absorbent powder that you can get in the market. Silica gel is very suitable for drying delicate and colorful flowers. Fill the container with one and a half to five centimeters of absorbent powder.
Now place the flowers on the absorbent powder as in the video. These flowers should be at least 2 cm apart from each other. Now slowly pour the rest of the absorbent powder over the flowers; So that it completely covers the flowers.
If the petals change shape while pouring the absorbent powder under pressure, stir them gently with a toothpick or match. It's best to start by drying a flower or two in order to get the right amount of time to dry each flower.
Note that the use of these powders is limited and they lose their properties after several uses.
The third level
First, put a cup full of water in the microwave. This cup of water will absorb some of the microwave energy and will likely reduce burning or over-drying the flowers. Now place the bowl of absorbent powder and clay you prepared in the previous step next to the cup. Set the microwave time for two minutes. After two minutes, check the flowers with a toothpick to see if they are dry. If the flowers are not dry, put them in the microwave for another minute.
This step requires trial and error because the type of microwave, the thickness of the slurry, and the quality of the powders are different and we cannot give a fixed order for the duration of the microwave. However, keep in mind that delicate flowers, such as enamel flowers, require a lower intensity of waves (slightly more than defrosting in a microwave), and flowers with thicker petals and a higher number usually require 8 minutes of microwave on medium or high heat.
The fourth stage
After drying, remove the container from the microwave, cover the container with a door or half-open plate and set aside for a day. Because the absorbent powder, especially silica gel, needs a long time to cool.
🌹 Tip: Leave daffodils, violets and peonies aside for 36 hours, but larger flowers such as roses and carnations may dry within ten hours.
Note: Keep the packaging and moisture-absorbing powder out of the reach of children and pets.
level five
After the specified period of time has passed and the contents of the container have cooled, slowly remove the flowers from the powder and shake off the excess powder from the sides of the petals with a soft brush.
Like the first method, in this method, you can spray the flowers with hairspray (tufted) or flower preserving spray for protection and a longer life.
3. Drying roses under pressure
This drying method is suitable for small, soft flowers such as violets and jasmine, and is not useful for flowers with thicker stems and petals; Because these flowers do not dry well.
The first stage
Arrange the flowers on matte, non-oily paper such as newsprint, cardstock, or tissue paper. After picking the flowers, place another layer of paper. The more moisture the paper absorbs, the better the result. For example, you can arrange flowers between two sheets of newspaper, then place newspaper between two sheets of dryer sheets, and finally, place the dryer sheets between two layers of cardboard.
The second phase
Now it is necessary to put something heavy and large on paper that has the same weight everywhere. You can use thick, large books such as a dictionary, a heavy box, or pieces of wood. Then keep the flowers in a warm, dry place.
The third level
After a week, remove the heavy object and the leaves and arrange the flowers again according to the first step, on fresh, dry leaves and place the heavy object on the leaves. After three weeks (depending on the type of flowers), remove the weight and remove the flowers. Completely dried flowers have fragile, brittle and delicate petals. You can use these flowers in artwork like natural flower photo frames.
4. Dry the roses with a fan in the oven
For this you need a fan oven. After the oven, it's time to choose the right flower; One of the best flowers to dry in this way is the chrysanthemum, because this flower is full of petals and compact.
The first stage
Take a piece of fine metal mesh and arrange the flowers inside the mesh so that the stems pass through the holes in the mesh.
The second phase
Your oven must have a fan because only this type of oven can distribute the heat evenly within the oven chamber. Preheat the oven to 100°F or 38°C. Then put the flowers with the metal grid into the oven tray. The low oven temperature makes the flowers dry more slowly. Leave the flowers in the oven for a few hours.
The exact and final time for the oven to dry the flowers depends on the type of flower and the better the oven air circulation, the better the quality of the flowers.
Do not try this method with regular ovens, as they retain a lot of moisture and the minimum temperature is much higher than 38°C or 100°F.
The third level
After a few hours, the flowers dry up. Remove the flowers from the oven and let them cool. Do not touch it until it has reached the same temperature as the surrounding environment.
As a final point on this method, we should say; Like the first two methods, you can use hairspray or a floral preservative spray to make them last longer and prevent damage to the petals.
5. Dry the roses with salt and an absorbent powder
This method is suitable for large and delicate flowers such as tulips. These flowers should be dried when they are fresh and the petals have not fallen off. It is best to choose half-open flowers and dry them immediately before they bloom.
First stage
Prepare an absorbent powder. As mentioned earlier, a moisture-absorbing powder is a chemical that easily absorbs moisture. This powder can slowly absorb flower moisture and dry it. In order to get the best result, it is best to use a high-quality, unused absorbent powder. Below we present several types of popular powders;
1. Silica gel: This material gives you the best result and you can get it easily in the market. Despite the high price, this powder can be used many times.
2. Borax and cornmeal: This powder is light and cheap. You can buy each of these ingredients separately and mix them together. You can mix them in equal proportions or use six units of cornmeal for one unit of borax. Borax is a salt of boric acid. Boric acid contains colorless crystals that dissolve in water. Borax is widely used in industry, medicine, and nutritional sciences.
3. Sand: This powder only maintains the shape of the flower and does not absorb moisture. In fact, the air causes the flower to dry out. This method takes the longest and is often the cheapest.
second step (optional)
Some believe that salt preserves the color of flowers. You can also add three teaspoons of non-iodized salt to one liter of absorbent. That is, for every liter of absorbent powder, pour 15 ml of salt.
third level
Choose an appropriate container. If you have a lot of powder, consider a deep bowl where you can put your flowers. Most people use less materials and put the flowers on a short stem in a shallow container. Of course, each absorbent powder has its own recipe; For example, for silica gel, use a container whose lid is completely closed and air-tight. Or, for example, use an open container for borax or sand. Even a cardboard box without holes or tears is suitable for this material.
The fourth stage
Pour the powder into the container with a thickness of at least two and a half to five centimeters. Place the flowers standing in the material. Then slowly pour the absorbent powder over the flower until it is completely in the powder.
If you are using sand, there is no need to completely submerge the flowers. Because the sand is only used to hold the flower and the air flow keeps it dry.
🌹 Tip: Flowers like Mina dry upside down and flowers like Monkey and Tongue on the back dry horizontally best. Also, to dry long-stemmed flowers, use a deep, stem-length bowl.
level five
After placing the flowers, leave the pot in a warm, dry place. If you are using an open bowl, you should place it where air can flow. After a few days, check how dry the flowers are with a toothpick or ear cleaner.
Usually, silica gel needs 2 to 4 days for the flowers to dry. Of course, flowers with thicker petals need more time, about a week. Remember that the pink color of silica gel means that it has absorbed most of the moisture.
The borax mixture also needs five to fourteen days for the flowers to dry.
Sand needs a longer time, which is usually between 14 and 21 days.
Sixth stage
After the flowers are completely dry, you can turn the pot to one side so that the absorbent powder falls out and the flowers come out. Gently remove dried flowers from the absorbent powder and brush them with a soft brush.
If the absorbent powder sticks to the petal and does not come off, you can pour some sand on the flower from a distance of 30 cm to remove excess particles of the absorbent powder from the petal.
If you remove the flowers from the material too soon, it will cause them to wilt and wrinkle. for testing; First check the edges of the petals to see if they are completely dry, thin and fluffy, and then remove the flowers.
It should be noted that in this method, you can also spray hairspray (tufted) or flower saver spray on them for longer life and more protection.
6. Using hairspray or setting spray
Using hairsprays or makeup setting sprays are other ways to dry roses. 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.
7. Drying roses with sand
You can also dry the roses using fine sand. Put some clean, dry sand or sand in a container or box like a shoe box and place the flower on the sand and fill it again with sand so that it covers the entire surface of the flower and put it in a dry and dark place. It will take three to four weeks for your flowers to dry completely.
What is the best time to dry flowers?
To make sure the flowers retain their color, cut them back before they open fully. Flowers should also be dried in a cool, dark environment so that sunlight does not alter their color.
If you want to dry a bouquet (say, a wedding bouquet), it's best to do so immediately after the ceremony, as it will likely be at least a day since it was cut 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.
Conclusion
Note that when drying roses, any blemishes will become more visible after drying, so be sure to remove discolored, burnt leaves, and misshapen flowers before drying, then begin drying them. Make sure to do this especially when your flowers are still young and fresh. The eternal rose is long lasting using the paraffin coating method.
Have you ever dried fresh flowers? What strategies do you use to dry roses better? Share your comments and suggestions with us through the comments section.
