The art of air drying flowers for use in homemade dried flower arrangements has been practiced for centuries. It is a simple art, yet dried flowers can be arranged just as beautifully as fresh bouquets in vases, containers or even shadow boxes. They also, of course, make excellent garlands, swags and wreaths.
Since air drying flowers and foliage is inexpensive and easy to do, it is also a suitable nature activity for children. As a nature project, begin with a nature walk to collect the fresh plant materials, including a variety of garden and wildflowers, grasses and seedpods; finish by assembling the dried materials into unique decorations for your home or for the kids to give as gifts.
Follow these steps to ensure the best results for your air dried flowers:
Select flowers a little ahead of their peak bloom and well before any petals began to drop from the flower head.
Ideally, pick flowers with a minimum of two inches on the stem; six to 12 inches is preferred for long-stemmed flowers.
If possible, avoid flowers on stems with side buds.
Make sure your selected specimens are quite dry and free of dew or raindrops; wet foliage or petals causes moldy flowers.
Prevent wilting by placing the flowers in a container of fresh water until you're ready to work with them.
Pick the most perfect specimens you can find and avoid diseased plants or those damaged by insects.
Select the flowers and foliage with an eye to shape and color; brighter colors will remain brighter when dried, while stems with a natural arch or sweeping curve lend depth and shape to your dried floral arrangements.
Dry more than you think you will need to allow for spoilage or breakage.
Air Drying Flowers in Water
Yes, I know that it sounds like a contradiction in terms, but it can be done.
Traditionally, flowers and herbs are hung upside down to air dry, but there are also many flowers that dry out equally well if left to stand in a vase of water. Granted, the process is slower, but this way you can enjoy the fresh flowers first, then observe the process as the flowers gradually lose moisture, change color, and dry out completely. This method is especially useful for a bouquet that has been purchased from a flower shop as flowers dried this way may keep the shape of the original arrangement with stems curving outward in an appealing fashion.
Garden flowers that I've dried successfully in water include perennial baby's breath (gypsophilia), carnations, coral bells, black-eyed susan, dahlias, purple coneflowers, rosebuds, roses and yarrow.
At a certain point, of course, you must stop topping up the water in the vase and just let the flowers use up what is left, or toss out the water completely and let the flowers finish the preservation process standing upright in the dry vase. This way the stems also have a chance to dry and become firm enough to support the dried flower head.
Air Drying Flowers, Herbs and Foliage by Hanging Upside Down
The procedure for air drying flowers and other plants by hanging upside down isn't complicated, but these hints will help ensure good results:
Remove leaves and heavy foliage from the stem below the flower. Some flower stems, such as those on centurea, strawflowers or zinnias, weaken when dried and should be replaced, before drying, by wires.
You can use wire to promote a curved stem. Simply insert florist wire into the flower head then twist around the stem a few times. You can now use the wire to bend the stem in the shape that you would like it to have once dry; leave the wire in place for added strength.
Arrange a bunch of stems together and fasten toward the end of the stems with a rubber band, twine or even clothes pegs. Try leaving some bunches hanging straight down; gently fan out the stems on others to provide an assortment of straight and curved stems.
Suspend the flower bunches from nails, lattice or hooks in a dry, dark, warm place such as an attic or basement. Keep away from direct sunlight, which can fade the flowers, and choose a spot that offers good air circulation.
Suspend larger flower heads, such as peonies, as single specimens for optimum drying. See how to dry hydrangeas for specific directions on preserving these large, showy flower heads.
Check your flowers often - some flowers will dry in as little as three days while others will need three weeks. Touch the flowers - if they are dry and rigid, and rustle when you move them, they are ready to be moved to a dry, cool location.
Remember that native grasses, grains, seedpods, berries and cones can be readily gathered in the fall, when many have already dried on the stem. If you need to complete the drying process, just follow the steps outlined above. Dried seedpods such as poppy heads, milkweed or the "cones" from purple coneflower are sought after by florists and will make interesting additions to your homemade dried floral arrangements. Stems of golden wheat, reed grass, rushes, teasals and dried berries are also useful for decorating wreaths and swags.
Dried flowers aren't intended as a permanent arrangement; ideally, they should be renewed each year with freshly dried bounty from your garden or the roadside. If you do pick wildflowers, please observe all local and national laws - and never pick or disturb endangered species.
Air Drying Flowers, Herbs and Foliage by Hanging Upside Down
