This Season
 

How to Dry Hydrangea Blooms!

How to Dry Hydrangea Blooms!thumbnail
Hydrangeas are among the easiest of all flowers to dry.

Even with the increased popularity of silk flowers, many people still prefer natural elements in their arrangements. As a result, flower preservation remains a popular hobby. Hydrangeas are readily available for drying, whether you have your own bush or buy blooms from a local florist. The lovely hydrangea blooms are available in several colors and make wonderful additions to wreaths and dried floral arrangements. It is easy to dry these blooms, and they last for years.

Related Searches:
    Difficulty:
    Easy

    Instructions

      • 1

        Select the flowers to dry. The easiest species to work with is the PeeGee, a common type of hydrangea with a big branch. The PeeGee bloom goes through four stages of colors from white to green, pink and finally brown, which gives a wonderful variety to your dried arrangements. Pick the flowers when a burgundy tone forms on the tips, and the flowers on the branch are firm to the touch. Pick blooms with a defined conical shape as they hold their shape well when dried.

      • 2

        Decide how you will use the dried blooms before drying them. If you are going to work the blooms into a wreath, it is better to make the wreath when the blooms are fresh and pliable. If you dry the blooms first and then try to work with them, sometimes they explode and all you have left is loose petals. If you dry them first and then decide to use them in a wreath, spray the blooms with a list misting of spray adhesive to keep the blooms together before attempting to make the wreath.

      • 3

        Hang the flower blooms upside down. This basic procedure works with almost all flowers, but the hydrangea does not require this method unless the stems are thin and weak. Expose the flowers to warm, dry air in a dark location for easy, satisfying results. This is the oldest and simplest method and is commonly referred to as the "hang and dry" method. The plant material is collected and tied together with string and then hung upside down in a warm, dark, dry place. The darkness helps preserve the flower color.

      • 4

        Wait until the blooms are in their prime to pick, and you can place the booms in a vase just as you would if you were going to display them in your home. Strip off the leaves. Place about 2 tablespoons of water in the bottom of the vase for every two stalks of flowers. Keep the vase undisturbed and out of direct sunlight, preferably in a cool, dark room until the blooms are dry.

    Tips & Warnings

    • The green and burgundy tones stay vibrant for up to a year.

    • Hydrangeas do best when allowed to dry a bit on the plant before harvesting.

    • Experiment with harvesting from August through October depending on your climate zone.

    • Do not dry flowers where children and pets can get into the blooms. Children sometimes think the colorful blooms look like cotton candy.

    Related Searches

    References

    Resources

    • Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images

    Read Next:

    Comments

    • Dorothy Sander Apr 18, 2009
      Wonderful article on how to dry Hydrangea blooms! I've tried it but this year I will use some of your suggestions. Thanks! 5*

    You May Also Like

    • How to Preserve Hydrangeas

      Hydrangeas are large, showy, old-fashioned flowers that bloom in summer. Their puffy flower heads make stunning dried flower arrangements. There are a...

    • How to Dry Hydrangea Flowers

      Large, colorful hydrangeas are impressive in the garden and even more so when they have been dried and preserved. The trick to...

    • How to Dry Hydrangeas

      Hydrangea blooms are big and beautiful and go wonderfully in all sorts of flower arrangements. Hydrangeas dry very nicely and can be...

    • How to Cut Drying Hydrangea

      Hydrangeas are among the most beautiful flowers. Their large, pendulous blooms are easy to preserve through careful drying. Some species will retain...

    • How to Dry Hydrangea Flowers

      Drying hydrangea flowers is best done in a paper bag, followed by a mist of hair or body spray and a dusting...

    • How to Preserve the Beauty of Hydrangeas by Drying Them

      The bouffant shape and muted pastel colors of dried hydrangeas make them a favorite for decorating and flower arrangements. Growing fresh in...

    • How to Dry Blue Hydrangea

      Drying a blue hydrangea allows you to preserve its delicate beauty, which can then be used in decorations and crafts. Air-drying the...

    • How to Dry Hydrangea Blossoms

      Create a beautiful bouquet of dried hydrangea that will add quiet elegance to any room in your home. Hydrangeas come in a...

    • How to Dry & Preserve Hydrangeas

      The large, colorful flowers of the hydrangea shrub are often used in bouquets during the summer months. Drying and preserving the flowers...

    • How to Dry Hydrangeas with Silica Gel Crystals

      Hydrangeas are perennial shrubs that bloom with large clusters of small white, pink or blue flowers. The bigleaf varieties bloom in pink...

    • How to Flatten Hydrangeas

      The practice of preserving flowers dates back to prehistoric times. Graves of prehistoric people in what historians call the cradle of civilization...

    • How to Preserve Hydrangea Flowers

      Summer-blooming hydrangea flowers make attractive bouquets while they last. To enjoy these colorful flowers for years, hydrangeas can be preserved using a...

    • How to: Dried Hydrangea Wreaths

      Hydrangea is one of the least complicated blooms to preserve. The beautiful pink and blue petals of the hydrangea will last indefinitely...

    • How to Dry Hydrangeas With Glycerin

      A hydrangea is a shrub that produces big, round blooms in soft pastel shades. Alive, or dried, the hydrangea makes an attractive...

    • How to Get Hydrangeas to Bloom

      Hydrangeas can be a finicky flower, requiring certain soil conditions, certain temperatures and proper care to bloom. When they do bloom, however,...

    • How Do I Care for My New Climbing Hydrangea?

      Climbing hydrangea's are also known as Hydrangea anomala. They are colorful, hardy vines, but not so aggressive that they will take over...

    • When to Pick & Dry Hydrangeas

      Hydrangeas are easy-to-grow flowers that bloom from early summer to late fall in a variety of colors. The individual flowers are small...

    • How Do I Plant Hydrangeas From a Cut Flower?

      Hydrangeas are medium to large leafy shrubs that produce large blooms. In fact, the blooms on some species of hydrangeas are the...

    • How to Make a Dried Flower Arrangement

      How to create a beautiful dried floral arrangement.

    Follow eHow

    Related Ads