How to dry rose petals at home - methods and rules

How to dry a bouquet of roses at home? Air drying

A simple and affordable way to dry a bouquet of roses or an entire flower. Its disadvantage is that the color of the flower may change (darken or lighten).

For drying, you need a dark (the main thing is that there is no direct sunlight) and dry room with good ventilation (a darkened loggia or balcony, veranda, storage room, attic, attic).

1. Stretch a clothesline (fishing line, wire) indoors, but no closer than 15 cm to the ceiling. If there are not many roses, you can drive a long nail or find a hook.
2. Cut off 1-3 pairs of lower leaves, depending on the length of the flower, to make it look aesthetically pleasing, shorten the stem a little and remove all the thorns. Wrap each rose individually with twine (elastic band, strip of fabric).
3. Tie it to a rope, attach it with a clothespin, or hang it from a hook (a straightened paper clip). The distance between flowers is at least 5-10 cm, otherwise they may dry out unsightly or rot.
4. Drying usually lasts 14-20 days. At this time, check with a toothpick how dry the flowers are. A dried flower has petals that are hard and fragile to the touch.

Rules and tips

1. If ventilation is poor, ventilate the room at least twice a day.
2. Be sure to cover the flowers with gauze to prevent dust from settling on them. If it appears on the petals, then after drying the dust is almost impossible to remove without breaking them.
3. From dried flowers, you can collect a new bouquet of roses and decorate your home with them.

Hanging roses for drying
How to dry a whole rose using cotton wool?

The same drying method as the previous one, the petals retain their shape well.

1. Place all the petals (even the most central ones) with pieces of cotton wool so that they do not touch each other.
2. Then hang the rose by the stem to dry on a line in a dark, dry room. The bud dries out in about 5-7 days, but remove the cotton wool carefully with tweezers only after the stem has completely dried.

Rose varieties suitable for drying

Roses are able to retain the shape and color of their petals even after they wither. Not all flower varieties are suitable for drying. It is better to choose not hybrids, but varietal specimens, so that later they can be used for cosmetic and decorative purposes.

Select varieties of roses with bright petals for drying. Yellow and snow-white petals look good in decorative compositions. When choosing a flower to dry, you need to know that light colors will be paler and red ones will darken. Any variety of rose is suitable for drying, but you need to properly prepare the flowers for the procedure.

How to dry a rose in a book and under pressure?

An easy and simple method to dry a rose bud or petals. It is better to put the flower not directly in a book, but in rice napkins or office paper for printing A5 or A4 (fold the sheet in half and cut) format.

1. Place a bud with a 1-2 cm part of the stem into a folded sheet of paper, straighten the petals and carefully close the “envelope”. Then wrap with rice napkins or another sheet of paper.
2. Write the start date of drying on a piece of paper, put the “envelope” in a book and press it down with a small load (a stack of books, a pack of salt, flour, sugar or cereal).
3. Every 1-2 days for the first two weeks, change napkins and paper so that new ones absorb moisture. Usually the rose is dried in a book for 30-40 days.

Rules and tips

• It is preferable to dry a flower in a book with yellow paper; it absorbs moisture better than white, dense and glossy paper. As a rule, these are old books or new inexpensive editions.
• Remember that the bud will become flat (can be used for a panel, painting, floral collage or postcard).

Dried rose buds in a book

Press drying

The method is great for drying a rose bud or petals to create a panel or painting. You can use a special press to dry plants, or you can do it yourself or press it with glass.

1. Place the bud with a 1-2 cm part of the stem on cardboard (plywood, board) covered with 4-5 sheets of paper or rice napkins.
2. Cover the flower with 4-5 sheets of paper, and then with thick cardboard and evenly place the load (bags of cereal, sugar, salt, flour or a stack of books). It turns out like this “layer cake”: cardboard - paper - rose - paper - cardboard - weight.
3. Change the paper every 1-2 days to speed up the drying process and prevent rotting from excessive dampness. On average, a rose dries in 20-30 days.
4. After removing the load, it is better to place the flower on a 2-3 cm layer of semolina or calcined sand in a box for 3-4 days, and also sprinkle a little on top.

Which roses are best to dry?

Roses selected for drying must be:

• Fresh . It is better to use freshly cut flowers or buds. If you start drying them later, they will wilt rather than dry out. For the same reason, you need to immediately start drying the bouquet you just presented.
• With dense petals . The stronger and denser the petals, the better the flower will retain its shape and color.
• No stains or damage . After drying, damaged buds do not retain their shape well, and spots on the petals that were previously barely noticeable will become completely dark.
• Not fully opened . If you dry a fully opened bud, its petals will disintegrate.
• With a small stem, but not shorter than 2-3 cm . Roses without a long stem dry faster and better, but you also cannot cut the flower at the base. This will cause the petals to fall off.

Advice! Do not cut roses covered with dew drops to dry. Wait for them to dry completely. Then they will not be afraid of mold.

How to dry a rose in various substances? Volume drying

Using this method, you can dry the whole flower or just the bud. The advantage of the method lies in the maximum preservation of its appearance. As a rule, the shape and color of the bud are perfectly preserved: the petals do not wrinkle or fade.

1. Cut the flower with a 2-3 cm part of the stem and insert a wire into it perpendicularly, and roll the rest into a ring.
2. Fill a deep container (box, bowl, jar, cup, etc.) with a 4-5 cm layer of granular substance that absorbs moisture well, and place the bud on top, base down. If you want to dry the whole rose, then select a long box and place it in it strictly horizontally.
3. Gently sprinkle the petals so that there is a layer of desiccant between them, and it can get as close to the middle of the flower as possible. After the substance completely covers the petals, close the container with a lid and transfer it to a dry and warm place without direct sunlight. If the container is open (for example, a box of sand), then this place should be well ventilated.
4. After 4-5 days, check the degree of dryness of the bud with a toothpick. If the edges of the petals become dry and hard to the touch (the flower looks like paper - strong, but not brittle), then remove it with tweezers. Depending on the choice of desiccant, the duration of drying the rose varies: silica gel - 5-7 days, flour, semolina, borax - 14-18 days, sand - 15-25 days.
5. Gently brush off the remaining desiccant with a brush or blow off with a stream of air from a rubber bulb. Connect the rose bud to the stem using wire. The stem is dried separately by air (description at the top of the page).

Which desiccant (desiccant) to choose?

The most popular substances with good absorption properties: white flour, borax (sodium tetraborate), corn, semolina and oatmeal, perlite, silica gel (silicate gel), talc.

• White flour or corn grits and borax . Quite affordable substances, but borax is easier to find in a big city. Drying duration is 14-18 days. You can dry it in each substance separately, or you can make a mixture: corn grits and borax - 1:1, or flour and borax - 4:1.
• Semolina. A proven and affordable product. After semolina, a rosebud is cleaner than after sand.
• River sand. Before use, the sand must be sifted and be sure to be calcined for disinfection in the oven. Using sand, it is better to dry the rose in a round cardboard box, at the bottom of which it is then easy to make holes, since it is easier to remove it from below. The bud does not need to be completely covered, since the sand is needed for fixation, and the petals will dry from the air in a dry and dark room with excellent ventilation. This drying process lasts 15-25 days.
• Silica gel . Advantages: high drying speed, reusable. Disadvantage: quite high price, depending on the company, 2-4 dollars for five liters of the substance (cat litter in a pet store). The finer the silica gel, the better (you can grind it yourself). It is better to pour it into a container that closes tightly (jar, container). Silica gel turns pink after absorbing moisture. To evaporate moisture from it, pour it onto a baking sheet and put it in the oven for 2-3 hours at a temperature of 90-100 ºC.

Drying roses in silica gel

Let's dry the roses between the pages of books

The most common choice is to dry rose petals in a book. After this drying, the petals turn out flat. They can be used to create cards and decorative compositions.

Rules for drying petals:

• It is best to choose a thick volume for drying.
• Place several petals between the pages.
• To avoid stains on the pages of the book, you need to put paper napkins inside.
• The flower is dried for 5-7 days. The petals become thin, almost transparent.

If the petal becomes moldy, this indicates a high percentage of humidity in the room. Then you need to choose a different drying method.

Useful video on how to dry roses and their petals:

How to quickly dry roses?

If you need to quickly dry a flower, you can use the microwave. Be careful, as there is a risk of drying it out (the appearance will deteriorate and become too brittle). Therefore, you need to have several copies in stock to get the desired result.

1. Place the not fully opened bud with a 2-3 cm part of the stem in a closed container with a desiccant (semolina, sand, silica gel, etc.) and put it in the microwave.
2. Microwave on medium power for two minutes. Check how dry the bud is with a toothpick. Turn on the device for one minute until the flower is completely dry (the petals are strong, but not brittle or crispy, as if they were made of paper). Usually it takes 4-7 minutes.
3. Remove the container from the microwave, open it and let it cool for 12-36 hours depending on the desiccant.

Adviсe

• Can be dried without a desiccant. To do this, place a cup of water next to the flower on a saucer to reduce fading of the flower’s color and prevent excessive drying.
• In order not to overdry the flower, after the first 2-3 minutes of drying in the microwave, you can take it out and put it in a dehumidifier (instructions above in the article) or hang it on a rope for 2-3 days (air method, instructions above in the article).
• For more delicate drying, you can try the defrosting mode, which is better suited for flowers with delicate and fragile petals.

Tips for using dried petals

Dried rose petals are used for various purposes:

• The interior of the house looks original with paintings whose frames are decorated with rose petals. They create images and postcards from flowers. Crafts made from petals will be a wonderful gift for the hero of the day or a friend on his birthday.
• A bottle or other glass container filled with rose petals or whole buds will become a true interior decoration. Roses will not lose their attractiveness for a long time if they are filled with a solution of water and glycerin.
• In the bathroom, vessels with dried flowers inside look original.
• Scented pillows filled with rose petals will give your home a unique aroma.
• In addition to tea, desserts are prepared from rose petals. Dip the petals in beaten egg whites and powdered sugar and dry them. They will decorate cakes, pastries, soufflés.
• Rose petals are added to drinks: wine, syrups.
• An infusion is prepared from dried petals, which is used to wipe the face in the morning and evening. Water relieves swelling under the eyes and refreshes the skin. You can make ice from rose water to wipe your face.
• Add water to both shampoos and creams. This will improve the hair structure and tone the skin of the hands and face.
• A toner for oily skin is prepared from two glasses of dry petals and 250 grams of 70% table vinegar. Infuse the product for three weeks, and then wipe oily areas of the skin with it.

Dried rose petals can be used in such a way that they will benefit human health and decorate the premises of the house.

You can learn more about how to dry rose petals using an iron from the video:

How to dry a rose bud at home?

We described the methods of drying buds above, but here we will understand the goals and give recommendations.

• If you want to preserve the shape of the flower and the color of the petals, then use bulk drying of the flower in a desiccant (a substance that absorbs moisture well).
• If the shape is not important or you need a flat one (creating paintings, collages, panels, etc.), then you can dry the rosebud in a book or under a press.
• If you need the flower to dry quickly, then a microwave oven will come to the rescue.

An option for air drying a rose bud from an experienced florist

1. Cut the flower with a 2-3 cm “leg” when it just begins to bloom.
2. Hold it over boiling water for 10-20 seconds.
3. Then insert a needle with a long thread into the stem and hang it in a dry and ventilated room (you can even hang it on a chandelier in a darkened room). It is very important that it is not dusty or tie the flower with gauze.
4. After 4-6 days, the bud dries out and turns out beautiful and even.

Herbariums of roses

Roses are a symbol of perfection. They are beautiful in full bloom and fragrant. It's always a pity when a beautiful bouquet that is so dear to us fades. The life of a living bouquet is short-lived, but its beauty can be preserved for many months by drying the bouquet, or creating a souvenir for a special occasion. It will look no worse than fresh flowers, reminding you of summer or a pleasant moment for a long time.

A herbarium is dried and compressed plants, often attached to a sheet of paper. Pressing plants between the pages of books and drying them is simple and does not require much effort. The correct method is to use buds that have opened a little; those that are starting to lose their petals should not be dried.

How to properly dry rose petals at home?

Some methods are suitable for petals, which are also used for drying buds or the whole flower.

Natural drying

1. After you have dried the flower (instructions above in the article), you need to separate the petals.
2. You can immediately pick the petals, lay them out on paper and cover the top with gauze. There should be a distance between the petals.
3. Turn them over every 5-7 days for more even drying. After 12-18 days, the rose petals will dry out, become crispy and strong, like corn flakes, and will be suitable for further use.

In the book and under pressure

It is convenient to dry the petals in a book, the technology is exactly the same (described above in the article), only you first need to separate them from the bud.

Drying in a dehumidifier

You need to dry the whole rose bud (the method is described above), and then separate the petals.

Microwave

1. Line a (heatproof) plate with a paper towel or napkin. Arrange the petals in one layer and without contact between them. Carefully cover them with a napkin (paper towel) and place a plate on top.
2. Place the plates in the microwave and turn it on high for 40-60 seconds. Since the devices differ in power, you need to start with a minimum period of time in order to experimentally establish the optimal drying duration.
3. Check how dry the petals are. Repeat the sessions until the petals are dry to the touch, but without crunching.
4. Once dry enough, remove the petals. If you need crispier ones, then place them on paper in a dark and dry room, and cover with gauze on top.

Placing rose petals to dry in the microwave

Oven

1. Line a baking sheet with paper (baking parchment) and arrange the petals in a single layer.
2. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the petals over and place again for 15 minutes at a temperature of 60-80 degrees.
3. The oven door must be slightly open during drying.

How to dry a rose so it retains its color

Conventional methods of drying roses change the color of the petals. They become darker or lighter. But there is a method that allows you to preserve the original color. To do this you will need liquid paraffin.

Paraffin drying procedure:

1. Place an old paraffin candle in an unnecessary container.
2. If the container is metal, melt the candle over a fire, and if it is glass or plastic, melt it in the microwave.
3. Using a brush, apply liquid paraffin to the bases of the side petals.
4. After hardening, begin processing the inner petals, covering them with an even and thin layer of paraffin.

Roses treated with paraffin are not afraid of mold and rot. It retains its original color and shape, gaining only a slight gloss.

What can be made from dried roses, buds and petals?

Interior decoration. For example, a bouquet of dried roses in a beautiful vase or basket will decorate an inconspicuous corner of your home and will lift your spirits on long winter evenings. Especially if it is a bouquet from a loved one, given for a pleasant occasion.

In fact, ideas for decorating a room largely depend on the existing interior and imagination. Dried roses are widely used for themed parties or holidays (for example, New Year's Eve).

How to use dried rose buds?

• From dried flowers you can create various floral collages, appliqués, herbariums, garlands, paintings and panels. To make a panel or picture, you need to dry the rose buds using flat drying (book, press).
• Making jewelry. Using rose buds and petals you can make earrings, a ring, a pendant or a button. Specialists fill them with special epoxy resin (for example, “Crystal Resin”) and make unique handmade jewelry.

Paintings from dried roses

What can be made from dried rose petals?

• Floral compositions and decorations. Like buds, rose petals can be used to create collages, appliqués, paintings and panels, or bookmarks. You can make a unique necklace or bracelet using petals.
• Cosmetics and perfumes. You can prepare homemade cream, face lotion or exclusive pink perfume. The pleasant aroma of a rose will lift your spirits even in the gloomiest weather outside.
• Entourage. Rose petals are often an integral part of a wedding ceremony or romantic date. When they are sprinkled with them like confetti, they decorate the bedroom and bed, or take a bath or jacuzzi with them.
• Cooking. You can make delicious jam, an addition to a cake or a sandwich filling. Petals can be added to your favorite drinks: milkshake, alcohol (martini, vodka, liqueurs). You can also make tonic rose water. Tea recipe: Mix dried rose petals with a small amount of green or black tea to your taste. Pour boiling water and leave for 6-8 minutes. Candied petals. Each petal must be separately moistened in sugar syrup (caramelization). It’s quite a painstaking task, but the candied fruits melt pleasantly in your mouth.

Drying roses in river sand

The weather is not always favorable for drying roses outdoors. You can place a rose in a box with river sand:

• Before the procedure, dry the bulk material in the oven.
• The buds are immersed in sand so that the petals remain intact.
• Roses take a long time to dry, about two weeks.
• The finished flowers are carefully removed from the sand.

Usually, with this drying method, the petals do not lose their shape and color. You can make a hole at the bottom of the box. At the end of the procedure, the sand leaves through this hole without damaging the dried buds. Flowers are used to prepare compositions for decorating premises during holidays and significant events.

Secrets and recommendations from experienced flower growers and florists

Not many people know that after drying, every rose loses its rich shade, in addition, the plant quickly fades in compositions. To make the buds brighter, you can simply paint them with nail polish. And in order for the bud to keep its shape well and for a long time, you should cover it with hairspray, but you should not allow the product to wet the workpiece; a light spray is enough. The prepared buds should be placed in a container and then put in a dark place where it will be cool. Storage in the refrigerator compartment is also possible.

If you prepare roses correctly, arrangements of dried flowers will delight the eye for several years. From individual petals you can create unusual crafts or unique paintings for the interior.

How to choose roses

Do not think that substandard roses can be used for drying. On the contrary, for this process it is worth choosing flowers not only with a pleasant color, but also without any defects, much less rot. After all, such roses cannot be dried. You can make souvenirs only from slightly blossomed specimens. If the flowers have already begun to decay, then they are not suitable for drying. Such roses will lose all their petals in the process.

Preparation

First of all, you need to trim the stems, but not too short. It is advisable to leave branches 15 cm long. You will use them to hang the flowers while drying. Be sure to remove all leaves. They cannot be dried beautifully; moreover, they retain moisture and slow down the entire process. So it’s better to get rid of the leaves right away.

Secure the prepared roses securely to the stems with an elastic band. If you wish, you can immediately make a beautiful bouquet of flowers if you plan to create a composition from them. The elastic should be placed approximately 5 cm from the end of the stems.

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How to dry flowers: a review of simple methods

If you are involved in floristry or are interested in new types of needlework, sooner or later you will want to know the answer to the question of how to properly dry flowers for a herbarium so that they retain their color and look attractive. There are several types of drying, the choice of the optimal one depends on the characteristics of the plant. Among the simplest and most popular drying methods:

• paper and press - each flower and leaf should be carefully placed between two sheets of paper (newspapers and napkins will do); a fairly heavy press should be placed on top - a wooden plank or a stack of books;
• microwave oven – modern craftsmen prefer not to waste time and dry the material for future crafts in a microwave oven; Note that this method has a significant drawback - during heating, the flower petals lose their shape;
• paper and iron - to dry plants in this way, you need to place them on a sheet of paper and select the optimal temperature; Please note: the leaves may lose their natural color.

When asked how to dry flowers at home, many answer unequivocally - place the inflorescences between the pages of a thick book. However, this method, known to everyone who has ever had to make a herbarium, is not always effective and is associated with costs - after inappropriate use, the book will become unsuitable for reading, and the petals placed in it may not dry out, but become damp.

To preserve dried flowers, a bouquet of them should never be placed in a vase with water. The composition will last much longer in a dry container - for example, in a basket. Let us emphasize once again that dried flowers that have faded during drying can be painted in any desired shade. Both regular gouache and special aerosol paints are suitable for these purposes.

Secrets and recommendations from experienced flower growers and florists

Not many people know that after drying, every rose loses its rich shade, in addition, the plant quickly fades in compositions. To make the buds brighter, you can simply paint them with nail polish. And in order for the bud to keep its shape well and for a long time, you should cover it with hairspray, but you should not allow the product to wet the workpiece; a light spray is enough. The prepared buds should be placed in a container and then put in a dark place where it will be cool. Storage in the refrigerator compartment is also possible.

If you prepare roses correctly, arrangements of dried flowers will delight the eye for several years. From individual petals you can create unusual crafts or unique paintings for the interior.

Most women prefer roses to all flowers. And therefore, it is doubly a pity to throw them away after the flowers wither. Why do this if you can dry roses and thereby prolong their life, but in a different form?! After all, many different compositions for decoration are made from dried plants, ranging from simple dried bouquets to complex paintings. A simple method of drying flowers (as for a herbarium) is not very suitable here. Roses need to be dried so that they do not lose their shape.

Flowers as a gift

Dry with silica gel

This method is ideal for drying large, whole flowers. Initially, salt and sand were used for traditional drying. However, these materials are more difficult to clean, the process takes 6 to 8 weeks, and the results are always unpredictable.

Nowadays, instead of sand and salt, silica gel is used - transparent or white crystals, sometimes with blue splashes. It allows you to dry a flower in a few days, preserving its original color and shape as much as possible. Often, plants dried with silica gel look almost exactly like freshly picked ones.

The silica gel absorbs the liquid from the plant and the blue crystals turn pink, signaling that it has released as much liquid as possible. The process must take place in an airtight container.

In addition, silica gel can be reused - to do this, you just need to dry it thoroughly. To do this, the used crystals must be placed on a baking sheet and placed in an oven preheated to 210 degrees Celsius. Once the crystals turn blue again, they can be reused.