| How To Dry Flowers Tips for Drying Flowers |
Materials Needed:
Drying rack, a hanging rod or line
Rubber bands
Clothes pins, paper clips, or s-hooks
Sharp scissors
Optional Items:
Brown paper lunch sacks
Old sheet
Fan
Dehumidifier
When and how to harvest flowers
There are so many different herbs and flowers that can be dried, and of course they all have different
recommended stages and methods for when they should be harvested. To make it simple for you we
have created a chart showing various flowers and herbs and their proper harvesting method. To see the
chart please click on: How To Harvest Herbs and Flowers
To prepare flowers:
Gently shake flowers to remove any bugs
Visual inspect flowers to remove any additional bugs
Remove thorns as they tend to get sharper in their dried state
Remove any damaged leaves or flowers
Selecting your drying location
Bundles of flowers can take anywhere from three days to three weeks to dry. So choosing your drying
location is important. You need a location that is undisturbed, dry, well ventilated, be sure it has
adequate air flow, and is out of direct sunlight or is dark.
It is important to keep your plants out of direct sunlight and in the dark so that your dried flowers will not
fade and it also discourages them from further opening or development. If you want dried rose buds
you do not want them to continue opening during the weeks they are drying.
A bedroom or other room out of the general traffic flow will work well. Walk-in closets or attics can also
be used with success if ventilation and air-flow is encouraged with a fan.
Bathrooms and kitchens are not good choices as each have humidity added to the air through running
water, showering and cooking activities.
Selecting a location in your home with a ceiling fan or place that you can plug in a floor fan will assist in
the air flow around the plants and help with both the drying time and reduce the risk of mold or mildew
on the plants.
If you live in a location with low relative humidity you may choose a covered outside location like a car
port, covered patio or porch.
If you live in a very humid location or if you would like to speed up the drying process a room rated
dehumidifier added to your space will assist in the process, cutting the drying time anywhere from a
couple days to a week.
Proper position for drying flowers - hanging, flat, or upright?
For the best results in drying your flowers it is important that they be dried in the correct position or
orientation. We have created a chart of all the popular dried flowers that shows which position they
should be dried in. To see the chart pleas click on: Flower Drying Positions
Bundling Flowers
Bundle a small amount of flowers together. The woodier the stems the more you can put in a single
bundle as they dry faster than plants with fleshy stems. Take anywhere from six to 16 stalks and hold
firmly towards the bottom of the stems, leaving an inch or so for you to place the rubber band. Then
place rubber band over the stalks approximately one inch from the end of stalks until rubber band is
nice and tight since stalks will shrink during the drying process.
Try to keep the flower ends of the bundles spread out for air flow and even drying.
If you do not have a location that is out of direct sunlight or if you do not have a location that you want to
keep your window blinds closed for multiple weeks then there are tricks that can keep your flowers dark
but not the rest of your room.
Drying rack, a hanging rod or line
Rubber bands
Clothes pins, paper clips, or s-hooks
Sharp scissors
Optional Items:
Brown paper lunch sacks
Old sheet
Fan
Dehumidifier
When and how to harvest flowers
There are so many different herbs and flowers that can be dried, and of course they all have different
recommended stages and methods for when they should be harvested. To make it simple for you we
have created a chart showing various flowers and herbs and their proper harvesting method. To see the
chart please click on: How To Harvest Herbs and Flowers
To prepare flowers:
Gently shake flowers to remove any bugs
Visual inspect flowers to remove any additional bugs
Remove thorns as they tend to get sharper in their dried state
Remove any damaged leaves or flowers
Selecting your drying location
Bundles of flowers can take anywhere from three days to three weeks to dry. So choosing your drying
location is important. You need a location that is undisturbed, dry, well ventilated, be sure it has
adequate air flow, and is out of direct sunlight or is dark.
It is important to keep your plants out of direct sunlight and in the dark so that your dried flowers will not
fade and it also discourages them from further opening or development. If you want dried rose buds
you do not want them to continue opening during the weeks they are drying.
A bedroom or other room out of the general traffic flow will work well. Walk-in closets or attics can also
be used with success if ventilation and air-flow is encouraged with a fan.
Bathrooms and kitchens are not good choices as each have humidity added to the air through running
water, showering and cooking activities.
Selecting a location in your home with a ceiling fan or place that you can plug in a floor fan will assist in
the air flow around the plants and help with both the drying time and reduce the risk of mold or mildew
on the plants.
If you live in a location with low relative humidity you may choose a covered outside location like a car
port, covered patio or porch.
If you live in a very humid location or if you would like to speed up the drying process a room rated
dehumidifier added to your space will assist in the process, cutting the drying time anywhere from a
couple days to a week.
Proper position for drying flowers - hanging, flat, or upright?
For the best results in drying your flowers it is important that they be dried in the correct position or
orientation. We have created a chart of all the popular dried flowers that shows which position they
should be dried in. To see the chart pleas click on: Flower Drying Positions
Bundling Flowers
Bundle a small amount of flowers together. The woodier the stems the more you can put in a single
bundle as they dry faster than plants with fleshy stems. Take anywhere from six to 16 stalks and hold
firmly towards the bottom of the stems, leaving an inch or so for you to place the rubber band. Then
place rubber band over the stalks approximately one inch from the end of stalks until rubber band is
nice and tight since stalks will shrink during the drying process.
Try to keep the flower ends of the bundles spread out for air flow and even drying.
If you do not have a location that is out of direct sunlight or if you do not have a location that you want to
keep your window blinds closed for multiple weeks then there are tricks that can keep your flowers dark
but not the rest of your room.
| Please see our Laundry Tips and Clothes Washing Guide for more tips and ideas! |
| These handy tips are brought to you by the Best Drying Rack company, your source for the world's best clothes drying racks |
 | |  | |  | |  |
Another trick especially if you are drying a large number of bundles on a drying rack is to simply use an
old thin cotton sheet, that you has ventilation slits cut into it to draped over the whole rack. You may
also need to trim some material from the bottom of the sheet so that it is a few inches from the floor or
ground so that air can still easily circulate. The sheet method works well if you are drying your plants on
your covered porch or patio.
Hanging your bundles
Now that you have your flowers bundled and your drying location selected. Simply hang your bundles
on your drying rack, rod or line. If you are using clothes pins simple hang the flowers as you would an
article of laundry, clipping the pin to the rubber band. If you are using paper clips bend the paper clips
so they look like ornament hangers or s-hooks. For both paper clips and s-hooks, hook one end over
the drying rack or line and hook the rubber band that is holding the flowers on the other end.
Checking on the dryness of your flowers
The majority of plants are simply checked by snapping of a small piece of the stalk on the bundled end.
If the stalk snaps off cleanly, sounds and feels dry then your bundle is ready for placement in your
flower arrangements and bouquets. Another method that can be used is puncturing the stem near the
flower head with a sharp knife or finger nail. The stem should be dry and solid.
For some flowers like cardoons or artichokes with fleshy heads a sharp knife should be inserted into the
underside of the bloom. There should not be any softness remaining when fully dry.
Determining dryness is another area of the flower drying process that is both a science and an art. You
will learn with experience when your plants are completely dry.
Now that your bundle of flowers is dry
Remove your rubber bands. You may choose to simply use your scissors and snip the rubber bands off.
Gently separate each individual flower and look it over for any damage. Use your scissors to remove
any parts that are broken, droopy or do not appear as you desire.
Have fun creating your dried flower arrangements, wreaths and bouquets!
old thin cotton sheet, that you has ventilation slits cut into it to draped over the whole rack. You may
also need to trim some material from the bottom of the sheet so that it is a few inches from the floor or
ground so that air can still easily circulate. The sheet method works well if you are drying your plants on
your covered porch or patio.
Hanging your bundles
Now that you have your flowers bundled and your drying location selected. Simply hang your bundles
on your drying rack, rod or line. If you are using clothes pins simple hang the flowers as you would an
article of laundry, clipping the pin to the rubber band. If you are using paper clips bend the paper clips
so they look like ornament hangers or s-hooks. For both paper clips and s-hooks, hook one end over
the drying rack or line and hook the rubber band that is holding the flowers on the other end.
Checking on the dryness of your flowers
The majority of plants are simply checked by snapping of a small piece of the stalk on the bundled end.
If the stalk snaps off cleanly, sounds and feels dry then your bundle is ready for placement in your
flower arrangements and bouquets. Another method that can be used is puncturing the stem near the
flower head with a sharp knife or finger nail. The stem should be dry and solid.
For some flowers like cardoons or artichokes with fleshy heads a sharp knife should be inserted into the
underside of the bloom. There should not be any softness remaining when fully dry.
Determining dryness is another area of the flower drying process that is both a science and an art. You
will learn with experience when your plants are completely dry.
Now that your bundle of flowers is dry
Remove your rubber bands. You may choose to simply use your scissors and snip the rubber bands off.
Gently separate each individual flower and look it over for any damage. Use your scissors to remove
any parts that are broken, droopy or do not appear as you desire.
Have fun creating your dried flower arrangements, wreaths and bouquets!
One trick is to use brown paper
lunch bags. If you have a small
number of bundles that you are
drying you can use brown paper
lunch sacks with a hole cut at the
bottom of the bag for the stems to
come through also cut slits in the
bag to allow air circulation to go
through the bag. Then after
bundling your flowers (see below)
simply place the bundle in the bag
so that the stems are sticking
through the hole that you placed in
the bottom of the bag attach your
flowers to your drying rack as
normal and the bag will keep each
bundle dark and out of direct light
for the duration of the drying
process.
lunch bags. If you have a small
number of bundles that you are
drying you can use brown paper
lunch sacks with a hole cut at the
bottom of the bag for the stems to
come through also cut slits in the
bag to allow air circulation to go
through the bag. Then after
bundling your flowers (see below)
simply place the bundle in the bag
so that the stems are sticking
through the hole that you placed in
the bottom of the bag attach your
flowers to your drying rack as
normal and the bag will keep each
bundle dark and out of direct light
for the duration of the drying
process.
| Also see our free guides on How to Dry Herbs and also How to Make Herbal Tea |