Flower drying

stacyd1987

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The flowers my DH got my for Valentine's Day are just barely starting to wilt so I thought of an idea to make them last practically forever, hang drying them! Now they're in the walk in closet for the next 2-3 weeks, hanging. I hope they turn out good! Now if only I can get the kitties to stop trying to eat them so I can put them on the dining room table instead of the kitchen counter... They already chewed up my other two roses I had gotten the day before V-Day.
So, anyone else dry out their flowers? Any secret tips I should know?
I wonder how long dried out flowers can actually last.
 

starryeyedtiger

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Spray hairspray on them then hang them upside down on a coathanger (with a clothes pin) and let them dry out. Once they're dried- then arrange them the way you like!
Keep in mind depending on what kind of flowers you have -they need to be preserved differently. (i'm a lisenced florist- that's how i was taught to dry them a few yrs back in design school- but there may be other good tips out there too!
)
 

mom of 4

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I dried some minature roses from my husband by hanging them upside- down in our garage during a dry season. They were a pale pink, but turned out a pinkish-beige. they last a couple of years - before I got cats.
 
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stacyd1987

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Originally Posted by Mom of 4

they last a couple of years - before I got cats.
Oh boy, I hope mine last with our kitties.

I'm definetely going to use the hairspray trick on them! Thanks! I remember when I was little I had a microwavable flower drying kit. It was tiny though, I could only put 1 bud in at a time but it didn't work so well, lol. They usually came out weird.
 

gailc

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I've dried in silica gel stuff but you need LOTS of it if you want stems and all.
 

MoochNNoodles

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I always tie a ribbon around mine and hang them upside down. Then after they've dried I cut the buds off and store them in a big glass jar. I have all but one rose that DH has ever given me dried and either in a jar or hanging. I hang them in a room where they girls don't have access. I used to hang them in the living room, but Noodles goes straight for them.
 

capt_jordi

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I always hang mine upside down in a dark spot! Dunno how much it helps... and I use A LOT of hair spray on them! I coat them at least 3 times with the good cheap big hair kinda hair spray!
 

goonie

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i've dried flowers in silica gel too and had good luck with it. i've tried it in the microwave too but they never come out right, i usually burn them.
 
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