Drying Flowers

[soccerchick]

Hi, I usually just lurk here, especially since I am relatively new to gardening. I appreciate the advice I've gotten from all of you. Now I have another question.

After three years, I finally have beautiful blooms on my hydrangeas ( didn't think I would this year either thanks to all the snow!). I would like to dry some of the flowers. I have some in my garage airdrying now. Do any of you use any of the other methods available ( Borax, sand, silica gel)? Have any of you dried hydrangeas with success? I have gotten some information off the Internet, but I'd love to hear your opinions before I spend time and money on desiccants.

Thanks!

 

[Snowwark]

Welcome, soccerchick! I'm glad you've decided to come out of lurker mode (I almost put licker mode..lol .. ), and join us!

I've only just planted my first two hydrangeas this year, and I've never dried any flowers (not counting the 3 wedding bouquets that are hanging from the rafters in the shed...DH's doings ), so I'm afraid I can't offer you any advice.

Since you've already looked on the internet, I'm going to try and resist that overwhelming urge I always have to post links to applicable sites. Basically, I've been no help to you at all..lol..

I'm hoping one of the BUDS can help you out....

I hope you'll tell us more about your garden (new or not), when you have time. We're a nosy bunch, we love to hear what everyone is sowin' and growin'.

Kim

 

[marydmjj]

I read somewhere that you can put hydrangea's in a vase with a little bit of water in the bottom and leave them for a while. They will absorb the water gradually and dry out naturally. I've tried drying them before and haven't been that successful. I ordered a huge box of freeze dried hydrangea's and made a wreath for a gift a few years ago. The color of the flowers has held up nicely and they still look good.

 

[Mamu]

I have never dried flowers so I can't help, but I want to welcome you to the F&G Forum.

Here is a link that may answer your questions:Drying Flowers

 

[gina2000]

I dry hydrangeas. Let me see if I can help you.....

First off....you can't dry them when they are in their brightest blue phase. They end up shrivelling. I don't know why. You have to wait til they start to lighten up and head toward the light blue/green/bronze stage. Then they are ready.

I have dried them by just sitting them in an empty vase. Also by hanging them upside down in an airy place. But I also do something a bit unique which may work for you.

I love to make wreaths with my dried hydrangeas. The stems get rather brittle once you dry them, so it becomes a messy proposition. I finally hit upon a method that works well for me.

I take a plain grapevine wreath and thread the freshly cut hydrangea stems through it, positioning the flowers so that they are dense....thereby creating a total hydrandea wreath. I then lay the wreath, hydrangea side up on a flat surface. In about a week, the flower heads have dried and I don't need to glue anything. I just hang the wreath. It's easy, less messy and lasts as long as the hydreangea heads are pretty. Usually after about 8/9 months, they fade. I don't know how to counteract that so I just remove the faded flowers and use the wreath again.

I also use dried hydrangea on fresh Christmas wreaths, breaking the flower heads in little bits and glueing them directly on the fir. I intersperse dried roses, varigated ivy, dried money plants and other colorful dried flowers on the wreath. I then tip the wreath's edges with glitter glue.

Hope this helps....and maybe gives you an idea or two....