Traditionally, flowers are dried either by hanging upside down or pressing them in a specially made flower press or between heavy objects, like books or bricks. Although tried and true, these methods require lots of time before the dried flowers are actually ready to be enjoyed or used in a craft project, like a wreath. Our flower experts at Durocher Florist in Springfield compiled a list of new flower drying techniques that are much faster than traditional methods, but just as effective.

Hanging Dried Flowers

How to Preserve a Bouquet, Using Fast, Modern Techniques

Whichever technique you choose to use, remember that it’s essential your flowers are completely dry, as any remaining moisture will lead them to decompose.

1. Microwave

Microwaving flowers is the speediest way to dry them, but you do need to gather some supplies before you can begin. You’ll need a microwave-safe container that’s large enough to hold your flowers and enough silica sand to fill the container. First, trim your flower stems and remove any unwanted foliage. Place them in the container and make sure they’re covered entirely with the silica sand. Pop them in the microwave with a cup of water and heat them with 30-second intervals.

Dried Pink Roses

Most flowers need between two and three minutes to dry out completely. Your flowers will require different amounts of time to dry, depending on their size and the type of flower. Check them between each interval.

2. Oven

If you don’t want to bother with silica sand, you can also dry flowers in the oven. Arrange them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and make sure they’re not touching. Preheat your oven to its lowest heat setting. While drying your flowers in the oven, you’ll need to leave the oven door cracked to allow moisture to escape. Keep an eye on your flowers throughout the process, but most need about eight to twelve hours to dry completely.

Bouquet of Dried Roses

3. Dehydrator

If you have a dehydrator that you use to dehydrate fruit or veggies, you can also use it to dry flowers. You’ll want to remove unwanted leaves and stem length before dehydrating. Be sure arrange your flowers so that they do not overlap, as this will affect the way they dry and can even lead to them sticking together and breaking upon removal. Most flowers need several hours at about 100-degrees in the dehydrator to dry completely. If you wish to press your flowers after removing them, you can take them out after a couple of hours.

Which Flowers Should You Dry?

There’s really no restrictions on which flowers you can or should dry. We always recommend preserve flowers from special occasions, such as your wedding bouquet or anniversary flowers.

Mad About You

While naturally flat-faced flowers, like asters and mums, are perfect for pressing, flowers with thicker blooms are best to dry. We especially love to dry bouquets featuring roses. Other flowers that dry well include statice, chrysanthemums, lavender, hydrangea, snapdragons, globe thistle, and dragon’s breath.

For more tips on how to dry flowers and recommendations regarding the best flowers to preserve, we welcome you to stop by Durocher Florist. We have a wide selection of flowers and arrangements that are so pretty, you’ll want them to last forever!