How to Treat or Store Rose Petals for Later Use
It's indeed a shame that the breathtakingly beautiful blooming rose will soon fade and wither away. It seems that the beauty and heavenly fragrance of rose petals should rightfully be everlasting. Though preservation is impossible when the petals are left on the rose bush, you can easily treat and store fresh rose petals by drying them to enjoy for use in crafts and other projects, such as making potpourris, later on. The best time of day to harvest roses and petals is early in the morning when they're fully open and the dew has evaporated. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Pull the petals gently from a completely opened rose. Spread them out in a single layer so they're not touching each other, on wire mesh, such as a piece of window screen. They'll need maximum air circulation to dry thoroughly.
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Set the tray of rose petals in a warm, dark, dry location such as a closet or cabinet. Don't put them in a basement or garage, or other location that tends to be damp.
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Hang cut roses by their stems if you don't want to bother with plucking individual petals at this point. Simply tie several stems together and hang them upside down in a dark, warm, dry spot.
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Check on your drying roses or petals after one week. They should be drying and browning nicely, although some may require another one to two weeks if atmospheric conditions are not particularly arid. They're ready for storage when the petals are uniformly brown and very crispy, like corn flakes. Petals must be completely dry to prevent them from molding later on.
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Place the dried rose petals in glass jars with tight-fitting lids. Store the jars in a dry, dark location where absolutely no light can get to them. Properly dried and stored rose petals can be expected to retain their lovely fragrance for many months, as long as they're protected from exposure to the air.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't get in a hurry to dry your rose petals and pop them into the oven to speed up the process. They need to air dry slowly and naturally if they're to retain their fragrance.
