Drying Flowers

As summer ends and winter approaches, it is fun to take long walks and look for dried materials to place into permanent flower arrangements. Nature supplies a vast number of interesting shapes in twigs, seed pods, and leaves that can be used if we open our eyes and imagination while looking. Any dried plant material can add to an arrangement so don't overlook twigs with interesting shapes, sedges, grasses, or weeds.

Strawflowers, Baby's breath, Statice, Thistles, Yarrow, Goldenrod, and a few other flowers will dry naturally if hung upside down in a dry, warm area. The flowers should be picked before they are in full bloom since they will open slightly while drying. Foliage should be removed from the stem. The natural stem on Strawflowers should be removed and a wire stem inserted, however this is not necessary with the other flowers mentioned. Hang flowers upside down in groups of 8 to 12 stems, out of the sun, in an area that is warm, dry, and has good air circulation. Flowers are ready to be used when they are crisp.

With the use of desiccants many flowers may be preserved so there is no need to limit yourself with naturally dried materials. Silica gel is the most widely used desiccant today because it is easy to use and dries flowers quickly. Washed, sifted, fine sand mixed with two parts borax may be used, as well as a mixture of 1/2 borax and 1/2 yellow corn meal with 3 tablespoons of uniodized salt added for each quart of mixture. In borax mixtures, flowers take longer to dry than in silica gel and it may be difficult to dry delicate flowers with high water content such as rose buds.

Flowers may be dried with desiccants when they are in bud or just prior to full bloom when they are at their peak of color. Artist pastels may be used to add color. Finely grate the pastels into a dust. Mix dust from various colors to achieve a color similar to the natural flower color. Place the dust in a plastic bag and insert the flower, holding on to the stem. Dust the flower with the pastel and remove it from the bag. Shake off all excess dust.

The flower stem should be cut to one inch and a wire stem inserted before the flower is dried. Use an airtight container to dry your flowers. Cover the bottom with 1 to 2 inches of desiccant and place the flower, with the wire stem looped below the flower, into the desiccant. Care should be taken when covering the flower with desiccant. Allow a slow steady stream to flow from your hand and take care to cover the flower so that the petals retain their natural position. The container should be covered tightly until the flower is completely dried. The length of time required will depend on the desiccant and the type of flower. Carefully pour off the desiccant and shake off all excess. A fine brush may be used to remove the finest particles.

Using a microwave oven for drying flowers is another method to preserve flowers and other plant materials. Microwave drying, which takes only a few minutes in the oven, provides material that looks fresher and more colorful than that obtained by other methods.

Flowers should be placed in a supportive substance before placing in the microwave oven so that natural form is retained. Silica gel, borax mixtures, and expanded clay cat litter work well; silica gel however is the preferred substance. Use only glass, paper, or special microwave containers in which to hold the flowers and dessicants. Do not cover the container. Always place a small cup of water in the oven before cooking to prevent excessive drying.

Cooking times vary, depending on the characteristics of the leaf or flower. After cooking, flowers must be left in the drying agent for several hours, and for some specimens an overnight standing period is recommended.

When using a microwave oven, it will be necessary to experiment with length of cooking time and length of time that the dried flowers should remain in the dessicant before removal.


Copyright by Dr. Bob's Gardening Tips