The Art of Drying Flowers

Since spring has sprung and flowers are abloom, I thought you might be interested in the process of drying flowers. Being a craft person, it's always interesting to learn and try new ideas. Whether you make items using dried flowers for fun or profit, knowing how to dry some of your own home grown varieties will add a very special touch to your arrangement or wreath.

Probably the most well known dried flowers are statice (pronounced stat-us), strawflowers and baby's breath. In my baskets, these three flowers are a regular staple. All are great filler flowers and statice and baby's breath together make a lovely wreath. Dried roses are very popular but did you know you could dry hydrangeas? Nearly 80% of all flowers can be dried. Please read on for more snippets of information.

AIR DRYING-This method is the simplest. Select your flowers in the early part of the day and only use flowers that are past the bud stage but before full maturity. After selecting and clipping your flowers, strip all the foliage from the stems. Using rubber bands, string, twine, etc., tie the stems into small bunches. Hang bunches upside down in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place. (storeroom, closet, attic). Dry the plants thoroughly, anywhere from two to three weeks. Humidity and the thickness of the stems can affect the length of time for drying. HINT: Flowers need to be dry before clipping and processing. Be sure they are free of morning dew or rain.

DRYING AGENTS-Another method is to cover the flowers with a drying agent. Several materials can be used. A mixture of 2 parts borax and 1 part sand is an effective drying medium. The sand should be fine, clean and dry. This mixture is effective but the weight of the sand tends to flatten the flowers. A lighter drying medium consists of equal parts borax and cornmeal. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of uniodized salt per quart to both the sand-borax and borax-cornmeal mixes to help retain flower color during drying. Drying time for these mixtures is approximately 1 to 2 weeks. I tried the cornmeal method once, a long time ago, and it didn't work. Now I know why, I didn't add any borax! Any type of cardboard box can be used for the mixture and flowers. Leave box uncovered and place in a warm, dry place.

Silica gel is considered the best material for drying flowers. Drying time is significantly shorter, 3 to 7 days . Since the flowers dry quicker, they usually retain good color. You can find silica gel at most craft or hobby stores. It is expensive, but can be used indefinitely.

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