Traditionally, flowers are dried by hanging them upside down, out of direct sunlight. Although this tried and true method works well and is the most recommended way for those who plan to display dried flowers in a vase, this flower preservation method requires days and days of drying. If you have a dried flower project that you want to work on today, waiting a week or longer for your flowers to dry simply won't work. Our Los Angeles flower experts at French Florist recommend trying a more modern method of flower drying that will allow you to have fresh flowers now and dry flowers in just minutes.
Hanging Dried Flowers
How to Dry Flowers in Just Minutes
To dry flowers in minutes, zap them in the microwave!
In order to dry flowers in the microwave, you'll need some supplies which include a microwave-safe container and enough silica sand to fill the container or at least completely bury your flowers. To prepare your flowers, trim away leaves and stems. Then put down a layer of sand and arrange your flowers on top of it in the container. Next, cover your flowers completely with the silica sand. Fill a cup with water and put it in the microwave with your container of flowers and silica sand. Microwave on high in 30-second intervals and check your flowers' progress between each 30 seconds of heat. The total drying time will depend on the type and size of flowers, but dry completely in two or three minutes.
A Flower Cluster
Microwave drying flowers works well for blooms of all sizes, including even the largest flowers like the sumptuous roses in our 'A Flower Cluster' bouquet. While any size of bloom can be dried in the microwave, you will need to trim the stems to make sure they fit in your microwave-safe container.
How to Dry Flowers in Just Hours
Microwaving flowers is a great option, and it's really fast, but it's not the perfect flower drying method, if you want to keep your flowers' long stems. Although you can't dry long-stemmed flowers in the microwave, you can bake them in the oven.
Bouquet of Dried Roses
First, you'll need to preheat the oven to its lowest heat setting and line a cookie sheet with either wax or parchment paper. Arrange your flowers on the cookie sheet so that they do not overlap. Put them in the oven and leave the door cracked so that moisture will be able to escape and evaporate out of the flowers.
Drying flowers in the oven requires take between eight and twelve hours, so you'll want to do this on a day when you'll be able to stay home and monitory their progress.
Dried Pink Roses
How to Make Your Dried Flowers Last
The most important part of successfully drying flowers is making sure they're completely dry. Any leftover moisture will cause the flowers to rot. Your flowers will have a tissue paper-like texture when they're ready.
Dried flowers will last a long time on their own, but there are some things you can do to make them stay beautiful even longer. Be careful not to display your flowers in direct sunlight, as this will cause their colors to fade. Do not keep them near a humid location in your home, like a bathroom, because the moisture will damage them. To further protect your flowers from the elements, you can mist them with a few coats of evenly and gently applied hairspray.
Pressing Flowers
For more flower drying tips or help selecting the best bouquets of flowers for preserving, we welcome you to stop by French Florist!
