How to Air dry flowers — Botany Studio (2024)

FAQs

How to Air dry flowers — Botany Studio? ›

There are three main ways to dry out those floral beauties. These include: Air drying – Leaving the flowers to dry out naturally. Desiccant drying – Using silica gel to speed up the process.

There are three main ways to dry out those floral beauties. These include: Air drying – Leaving the flowers to dry out naturally. Desiccant drying – Using silica gel to speed up the process.

Drying flowers in sand also allows you to get a rich range of colors. Fast drying in a warm, dry room produces bright colors, while slower drying in a cooler room results in more muted tones. And unlike silica gel, sand leaves little unsightly residue on the blossoms.

Find a dark, dry area with good circulation, such as an attic or unused closet. With unflavored dental floss, secure the bottom of the flowers' stems to a hanger so that they hang upside down to dry. Leave flowers for two to three weeks until completely dry.

Hairspray helps prevent color fading and helps minimize any fallout from your dried bouquet, too.

Air drying is probably the simplest way to dry your flowers. Simply trim their leaves, tie their stems together with string, and hang them upside down in a spot where they won't be in direct sunlight. Then leave them. This method yields the best, most life-like results with the least amount of effort.

Air drying

This is super easy with no special equipment required, just select good quality flower stems and strip off the lower leaves. Tie with a rubber band and hang upside down in a place with low light levels and good ventilation. They should be ready in a week or two.

Silica gel is expensive. A more economical alternative is to use 40% borax and 60% white cornmeal. This recipe takes longer to dry the flowers, so leave them in the container for 2 weeks. The old-fashioned way to dry flowers was with sand.

Choose the flowers for drying. One at a time, place the flower in a microwavable bowl and cover with about four cups of cat litter. Microwave on high for two to three minutes. When the cat litter is cooled, remove the flower and brush off excess.

What is a drawback of drying flowers with sand? ›

It's important to remember that silica sand and silica gel dry out only the flower head rather than the entire plant. Silica sand and gel can also cause thinner, daintier blooms to shrivel. However, thicker flower heads such as peonies or roses work well with silica preservation methods.

Fresh - Unfortunately, best to dry when they are still looking good, before they start to droop or go brown. Sunlight – so, this is contentious as sunlight can bleach the flowers of their vibrancy, but also, is a good mould repellent.

If well cared for, dried flowers can last on average between 2 – 3 years. It is best to keep dried flowers out of direct sunlight and avoid humid conditions. So, if you want to know how long specifically, the quick answer for how long do dried flowers last is 1–4 years depending on their type and your home.

Avoid Placing in Direct Sunlight

The sun's rays can be harsh on the delicate blooms of the arrangement, so it's better to keep your dried flowers in areas of your home with plenty of shade or indirect light–think a bookshelf in the corner of a room or a low coffee table.

The best way to dry flowers is to hang them upside down to let them air dry. To do this, you should remove their leaves first and then tie their stems together with string. Use the other end of the string to hang them from the ceiling or a clothing hanger.