If you have a bouquet of flowers from a special occasion, like a wedding or anniversary, you can preserve them in order to commemorate and revisit your happy memories for years to come. Flowers can be saved either by pressing or drying. Our florists at Carithers Flowers in Atlanta usually recommend drying flowers over pressing them because the method not only preserves the colors of flowers, but also their shapes. Plus, pressing doesn’t work well for all flowers, but drying does. If you have a mixed floral bouquet that contains blooms of various sizes and densities, you’ll always get better results by drying the bouquet, instead of pressing it.

English Cottage

Easy Techniques for Drying Flowers

The key to successfully drying flowers is ensure every little bit of moisture is gone before displaying them. Any remaining moisture in the flowers will cause them to rot. When flowers are completely dry, they’ll have tissue paper-like feel.

1. Air Dry

This method requires several days, but you’ll get the best results. Gather your bouquet and tie a string around the stems. Use the other end of the string to hang the flowers so that they’re upside down. Do not leave them in direct sunlight, as this will fade their colors.

Hanging Dried Flowers

2. Oven Dry

Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper and arrange flowers on it so they don’t overlap. Preheat your oven to the lowest heat setting. Dry your flowers in the oven on a cool day, as you’ll need to leave the oven door cracked open for eight to twelve hours while your flowers dry.

Dried Pink Roses

3. Microwave

To dry flowers in the microwave in minutes, you’ll need a microwave-safe container and silica sand. Trim foliage and stems. Then arrange flowers in the container and cover them completely with silica sand. Put them in the microwave with a cup of water and heat in 30-second intervals, checking flowers each time. Most will be completely dry in two or three minutes.

Bouquet of Dried Roses

4. Trunk Dry

It might sound odd, but you can actually dry flowers in the trunk of your car. On a sunny day when you don’t plan on driving anywhere, you can either lay the flowers out on a sheet of parchment or wrap them like a bouquet and leave them in the trunk of your car. They’ll be in the perfect amount heat to dry all day long, but also out of the sun. Leave them in the morning, and they should be ready by sunset.

Bouquet of Dried Pressed Flowers

How to Make Dried Flowers Last Longer

How long dried flowers last really depends on where you display them and how you care for them. When dried, flowers are extremely delicate and also susceptible to damage from moisture in the air. To prevent fading, display your flowers in a place in your home that’s relatively dry (not near a bathroom) and that won’t get any direct sunlight. You can also strengthen dried flowers by coating them with a few layers of hairspray. Be sure to spray them from a safe distance to prevent the blast of hairspray from damaging their delicate petals. Hairspray can fortify dried flowers and also protect them from sunlight and humidity.

For more information about preserving flowers or for personalized assistance with choosing a bouquet to celebrate your next special occasion, we welcome you to visit us at Carithers Flowers.