How to Dry Hydrangeas for Home Decor

Wondering how to dry cut hydrangeas? While there are various methods available, this one may sound unusual, yet it is one of the best for preserving color. Water plays a crucial role in ensuring that hydrangeas retain their vibrant hue, and we will leverage this principle to achieve excellent results.

1. You will need a vase or jar to place the cut stem of the flower, just as you would with a fresh flower arrangement.
2. Add a little water, but don’t fill the vase or jar to the brim. The water will help prevent the flowers from wilting prematurely, keeping the colors bright, but too much water can be detrimental.
3. Trim the stem to about 10 cm long and place it in the water.
4. Keep the vase out of direct sunlight to prevent the flowers from turning yellow. As the water gradually evaporates, you will notice that the flower develops a paper-like texture. This method effectively maintains the colors of the flower and the three-dimensionality of the floral clusters.

While there are professional presses available for herbariums, you can create your own homemade method:

1. Grab a heavy book that you no longer need, such as an old phone book. Avoid using any valuable books to prevent damage.
2. Place the flowers between the pages. The paper in these books is typically very absorbent, aiding in flattening the flowers. Be cautious as the book pages may stain due to moisture, so choose one that you won’t miss. Alternatively, you can use absorbent paper to protect the pages of your pressing book.
3. Wait a few weeks for the flowers to dry completely. You may check their progress every few days, but be gentle when opening the book.

This method is particularly useful for projects with a flat dimension, such as making greeting cards or bookmarks, or for 3D craft projects using epoxy resin.

An effective method for learning how to dry hydrangea flowers is using silica gel. Silica gel beads are excellent desiccants that can draw out moisture from their surroundings. The advantage of this method is that hydrangeas maintain their color and shape. Follow these steps:

1. Fill a container with silica gel beads. They are reusable, so if it’s your first time using them, you can use them directly; however, if reusing, it’s recommended to heat them beforehand to ensure they are completely dry.
2. Place the flower in the middle, ensuring it is fully covered, then seal the container tightly.
3. The drying process will take about 3 to 5 days, but check to see if they need to stay longer.

This method involves a few simple steps:

1. Make a bouquet of hydrangeas and wrap it with newspaper or Kraft paper.
2. Secure the base of the flowers with a string or twine.
3. Hang the bouquet upside down either indoors or outdoors in a sunny spot if possible.
4. After a few weeks, the flowers should dry out. They may lose some color in the process, possibly turning brown, but that doesn’t make them any less beautiful.

This method is quite straightforward and practical:

1. Place a paper towel on the microwave plate.
2. Arrange the hydrangeas on the paper towel.
3. Add a small bowl of water that is microwave-safe to maintain humidity, preventing the flowers and towel from burning. Keep in mind this method does not preserve the color of the flowers exceptionally well.
4. Dry the flowers in 30-second intervals. By the 2-minute mark, they should be completely dry. This method will leave the flowers with an irregular shape; if you want them flat, place them between paper sheets and press down gently.

This is another method for drying flowers, which follows a similar principle to the microwave approach.

1. Place the whole flowers or loose petals on the oven tray. Note that this method does not preserve the flowers’ natural colors effectively. To minimize color loss, you can include a small bowl of water next to the tray, ensuring the bowl is oven-safe.
2. Preheat the oven to 100 °F (38 °C) and bake for 3 hours.
3. Check the petals every so often, but after this maximum time, the flowers should be thoroughly dehydrated.

Glycerin can be a successful medium for drawing out moisture. Follow these steps for effective drying:

1. Create a solution with two parts warm water and one part glycerin, mixing well. Prepare enough to fully submerge the flowers.
2. Immerse the flowers completely in the solution.
3. Let them sit for a week. During this time, the water in the flowers is replaced by glycerin, effectively dehydrating them.
4. Once the time has elapsed, remove the flowers and place them on an absorbent towel. Allow them to dry for a few days, and your hydrangeas will be ready!

This method employs heat for drying:

1. Select the hydrangeas you wish to dry and place them between two sheets of paper.
2. Exert pressure to flatten them.
3. Run an iron over the paper containing the flowers.
4. Do this in increments of 10 seconds, monitoring to avoid burning.