How to Dry Cut Flowers

Drying flowers is an effective way to make them last a long time.

Drying and preserving flowers makes sense economically because ordinary flowers will only last about a week and dried flowers will last indefinitely. There are various ways to dry flowers that will preserve them, but two of the easiest are air drying and using a cornmeal/borax mixture. Dried flowers can be placed in vases or used to decorate shadow boxes, wreaths and other crafts. Drying your flowers will enable you to enjoy them for many seasons to come.

Things You'll Need

• Twist tie, rubber band, pipe cleaners or florist wire
• Cornmeal
• Borax
• Plastic storage container with lid (about the size of a shoebox)

Instructions

Air-Drying Method

1. Separate your flowers into small bunches. This will allow the air to circulate around them and they will dry more effectively.

2. Remove leaves from the stems of the flowers.

3. Wrap a pipe cleaner, twist tie, florist wire or a rubber band around the stem end of the flowers.

4. Hang the flowers upside down by looping the rubber band or twist tie onto a nail on the wall or hanging the flowers from a drying rack or wire clothes hanger.

5. Place the flowers in an area that is dark and dry. A closet, pantry or attic would be ideal. Do not place the flowers in an area that is humid, such as a porch area or garage.

6. Check on your flowers in about one to three weeks, according to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System website. You will know they are dry once they fade slightly and lose their suppleness. Dried flowers are fragile, so handle them carefully when making crafts.

Borax/Cornmeal Mixture

1. Remove any leaves from your cut flowers.

2. Mix together one part cornmeal and one part borax into a bowl, according to the Hume Seed website. Place about a half-inch layer into a plastic shoebox-size container.

3. Lay your flowers onto the mixture; do not crowd the flowers, and mak sure they have plenty of space so that the mixture will cover all surfaces.

4. Cover the flowers thoroughly with the rest of the dry mixture and place the lid on the container.

5. Wait two weeks before checking the flowers. Some varieties may take as long as three weeks before they are totally dry. They will show slight fading and will no longer be supple. Shake the cornmeal/borax mixture from the flowers gently. Now you are ready to stand them into a vase or use them in craft projects.

Tips & Warnings

• You can find borax on your laundry detergent aisle in grocery and discount stores.

References

• Alabama Cooperative Extension System: Drying and Preserving Flowers and Plant Materials for Decorative Purposes
• Hume Seeds: Drying Flowers From Your Own Garden