5 Methods for Drying and Preserving Flowers With What You Have
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
My little ones love to pick flowers for me, but some varieties can die so quickly. Drying and preserving flowers is a great way to save those memories or to use the flowers differently. There are many tips and techniques on how to dry and preserve flowers, and today, I’m sharing a few simple ideas with you.
Drying and Preserving Flowers
I love it when summer comes and brings with it so many beautiful flowers. Then, by the time fall comes around, I start thinking about ways to make those beautiful flowers enjoyable all winter. Here are a few simple tips and techniques on drying and preserving flowers so that you can do just that.
Air Drying Flowers
Air drying is one of the most common ways to dry flowers. The best tip is to tie the stems tightly with a piece of string and hang them upside down in a well-ventilated area. Make sure to hang them in a room with low light and little disturbance. Leave them to hang for two weeks or longer to allow them to completely dry.
Leaving them in an area where the sun comes in too brightly (direct sunlight) will bleach the color out of the flowers, removing their vibrancy. Once completely dry, you can spray them with hairspray to help keep the petals and leaves intact for the future.
Flowers that work best with this method: Roses, Lavender, Baby’s Breath, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Strawflower
Silica Gel for Preserving Flowers
Silica Gel can be found at craft stores like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s, or you can find it on Amazon. It is typically near the decorative sand. Place your flowers in a bowl and submerge them in the silica gel. Leave them undisturbed for seven days, and then carefully remove them.
They should look exactly as they did when you placed them in the gel, but they will now be dry.
Flowers that work best with this method: Roses, Daisies, Zinnias, Carnations
Microwave Oven for Drying Flowers
Place your flowers, one at a time, in a microwave-safe bowl or a microwave-safe container, and cover them entirely in cat litter. Microwave on high for five minutes. Allow the cat litter to cool before attempting to remove the flowers.
This method keeps the color vibrant. You can find a small bag of kitty litter at the dollar store and reuse the same cat litter repeatedly, so you’re not wasting a lot. Only do this in small bunches at a time.
Flowers that work best with this method: Roses, Daisies, Tulips, Chrysanthemums, Carnations
Pressing Flowers to Preserve
To press the blooms flat and preserve them in that way, all you need are some absorbent materials and a heavy book! Fold a paper towel several times, and then lay your bloom face up on the paper towel. Fold the paper towel over the top.
Then, fold a piece of newspaper over the top of the paper towel. After folding your flower between the multiple layers, close it in the middle of a book. Stack other books on top of the book with the flower to help compress the materials.
The extra layers of paper you wrap around the flower will help keep the flower from molding and will absorb all the moisture released from the flower so it dries faster and prettier. Allow this to set up for two to three weeks before disturbing.
Flowers that work best with this method: Daisies, Lavender, Sunflowers, Gerbera Daisies
Drying Flowers with a Dehydrator
You can also use a dehydrator to preserve and dry flowers. Evenly space your flowers out on the trays, being sure not to let them overlap. If they overlap, they will likely stick together and damage your blooms. Set the temperature to 120, and allow it to run for three to four hours. After those hours, your flowers should be beautifully dried and preserved!
Flowers that work best with this method: Chrysanthemums, Daisies, Lavender, Roses, Carnations, Yarrow
So whether you want to preserve a special memory or keepsake bouquet or dry some pretty flowers from your yard, these methods should benefit you.
Ways to Use Dried Flowers
You can also use these methods to preserve flowers for crafts, DIY products, and sachet bags. Here are a few ideas to get you started!
- Dried Lavender Body Lotion
- Soothing Lavender Eye Pillows
- Shampoo with Herbal Infusion
- Sea Salt Body Scrub
What methods do you use when drying and preserving flowers? What do you use your dried flowers for?
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.
This post on Drying and Preserving Flowers was originally published on Little House Living in August 2017. It has been updated as of October 2023.
How interesting! Thank you. Do you have any ideas of what to do with flowers once they’ve been pressed?
You can use them as decor in an old jar or something pretty. I like to use them in homemade cards or other papercrafts. 🙂
What a good idea! I have done this before, but I have never used the hairspray step. Great idea to make them last even longer. 🙂
I always wondered the proper way to do this, now I know! I saw your post linked at the THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS 302 party. I pinned it.
This post is wonderful, very informative and perfect for this time of year. Pinning.
I have never heard of microwaving them, that is neat!! Thanks for stopping by and joining us at #HomeMattersParty hope you will join us again on Friday.
I had no idea there were so many different ways to preserve flowers and I absolutely had no idea it depends on the type of flower it is! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and for sharing at Celebrate It! I will be referencing your article often as I try to preserve some flowers from the garden!
These are great tips for drying flowers! I only use the pressed method… thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks for the info -I will try out your microwave method today with my zinnias. They are just so beautiful it will be great to have a dried bouquet in the winter.
Hello, Merissa! I was really looking forward to seeing those 15 recipes, but when I click on the link, it takes me to a lesson on drying and preserving flowers. I love your blog, though! You have so many great things listed in your blog that I could spend a morning reading all of the good information! You are such an inspiration to me! Take care!
I can’t find the 13 articles of convenience. All that comes on when I click it is drying flowers. Nancy
Do you have any suggestions on making shadow boxes using the flowers that you dried. I am would like to make a box of dried flowers from a funeral of a special person.