How to Dry Flowers at Home

Preserve your flowers by drying them.

Having flowers in the home can be a great way to decorate, but these plants also require a level of watering and maintenance that you may not be able to keep up. That's why dried flowers are a great way to decorate with less long-term hassle. Air drying is the preferred method of drying flowers at home.

Things You'll Need

• Pruner
• Garden or fresh flowers
• Rubber band or string

Instructions

1. Harvest the flowers from the garden that you'd like to dry. It's best to get the flowers in the morning after the dew has evaporated off the leaves. Pick a flower that is less mature, or whose petals aren't fully opened. While drying flowers, the blooms will open further.

2. Prep the flowers for hanging by taking the leaves off the lower stem. Keep the leaves near the top or blooming portion, however.

3. Tie your flowers together with a string or rubber band. Having a bouquet of about 10 or so will be perfect for most conditions of drying.

4. Choose a proper location to hang the flowers for drying. Pick a place that is dark, with good air ventilation. A closet, garage, basement, attic or similar locations in the home are perfect for drying flowers.

5. Hang up the bouquet upside down in the chosen room for drying. It can take anywhere from 24 hours to two weeks to properly dry flowers. Keep checking them until they have a woody, stiff feeling, that's when they'll be done.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove the flowers from sunlight quickly after they've been cut. This will preserve the colors as best as possible in your dried flowers.

References

• University of Missouri Extension; Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements; David Trinklein