Important tips for drying flowers
When it comes to flower arts and crafts, drying flowers has proven popular for many years. While the concept of dried flowers is simple, there are a number of factors to consider as well as a few tips to make this process a greater success.
Choosing the right flowers
The first step to drying flowers is choosing the right types of blooms. Some flowers are better suited than others and each type of flower takes a different amount of time to dry. Some of the top choices include: cornflowers, larkspur, lavender, pompom dahlias, roses and yarrow to name a few. It’s worth experimenting with different types of blooms to see for yourself how they react to different drying processes.
When to begin drying flowers
If the blooms are still in bud form, you should wait until they start to open. If you try to dry flowers once the flowers are fully-opened, the petals will fall rather easily. Partial buds are, therefore ideal for creating a dried flower bouquet.
Different methods
Like many things in life, there are several methods for drying flowers. The method you choose will depend on what you have available in terms of supplies as well as the best methods to suit specific flower types. The three most popular methods include air drying, silica gel and the microwave method. Each method will take a different amount of time. For example, the microwave method is considered the quickest but you will need to pay close attention to your blooms. If you are planning on air drying flowers, you should make sure that you hang them upside down and keep them out of daughty spots as well as away from direct sunlight and sources of heat or air conditioners. No matter which method you use, remember to keep your flowers spaced apart while drying. If you do not do this, they can dry unevenly and mould may even occur.
Dried flower care
Apart from damage to the dried flowers, one of the main concerns is keeping your blooms looking their best. Dust can easily build up on any surface and your dried bouquet is no exception. To remove dust, make sure that you dust regularly with a feather duster. Make sure that you dust very lightly but do so often so that dust does not build up on these dried petals.
Storage advice
You might not need all of your dried blooms all at once but, let’s face it, drying flowers in larger quantities is far easier than constantly drying small amounts over the course of several weeks. So, what you can do is display some of your dried blooms and store the rest. Wrap your dried flowers in some newspaper to protect them from moisture and place them in a box that will protect them from being crushed. Store this box in a dry, cool spot and avoid placing it in your basement or anywhere with high levels of humidity.
With all of these tips, you will be a pro at drying flowers in no time! You can use these dried bouquets to decorate your home, add a personal touch to your gift wrapping and even share with friends and family.