How do you dry out fresh flowers for keepsake?

Here are the methods....i myself use the air dry method or flower pressing method depending on what i am doing withthe flowers.











Air Drying Flowers


To air dry flowers cut them when the dew is gone, tying several stems together with string or pipe cleaner after the leaves are removed, and hanging in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated place. An attic, closet or pantry is a good place to hang flowers for drying. Drying time will vary; check how they feel after a week or so. When they feel crisp, take them down and store in boxes or paper bags.





Annuals like zinnias and marigolds are easily dried. Also, look for transplants of everlasting flowers like Strawflower, Globe Amaranth, Cockscomb, and Baby's Breath.





Drying Flowers Using Silica Gel


Other flowers may require a drying agent such as silica gel. This is commercially available and sold under several different trade names at garden centers.





Fill the bottom of a flat dish 1 inch of silica gel. Put in the flowers. Flat flowers like daisies or pansies are usually best placed face down. Most of the flowers with many petals like zinnias, marigolds, calendulas, mums, and aster do better facing up. Flowers like snapdragons and scarlet sage are placed horizontally. Carefully add more drying agent until the flowers are completely covered. Check in a couple days. Dry petals will feel like paper. Store in boxes with a little silica gel to absorb moisture in the air.





Microwave Drying


The drying agent process can be speeded up with the microwave oven. Prepare a few flowers at a time in a small dish. Put this in the microwave along with a cup of water. "Cook" on medium for 10 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the flower. You must experiment with timing because conditions are so variable. After microwaving, leave in the drying agent for a few hours up to a day or so.





Pressing Flowers


Flowers with flat faces like pansies, petunias, violas, and daisies are good to press. Place 3 flowers between sheets of blotting paper and put in a flower press or weight down with bricks or books. Check them after a week for dryness.





Finishing Your Flowers


After you've dried your flowers, put a strand of No. 2 florist's wire through each flower's head, securing the wire by bending it into a hood at the flower-head end. The final step is to wrap all wire with green floral tape

How do you dry out fresh flowers for keepsake?
I've had success with tying them in a bunch and hanging them upside down in a cool, dry place.
Reply:a dehydrator works great it might be a little pricey tho.(also use for beef jerky and mushrooms and spices many different things as well )
Reply:I sometimes tack them to a wall, but tying them upside down works too. I read an article about preserving and drying them in light sand but I'm not sure of the process.
Reply:I've had good luck simply keeping them in the fridge until they are dry.
Reply:There is more then one way to dry fresh flowers for keepsake. If u want it to be flat and not lose any color at all u can simply put it in the middle of a big book for about a week sometimes longer depending on the flower. If u want it to keep its shape u can use a blow drier on low until it dries out( the flower will lose a little of its color this way).
Reply:I have a living room FULL of dried roses that I've done all myself. I've followed the same process everytime and had great success.





First: Arrange them fresh how you want them to look dried. They are very brittle and you won't want to move them about too much once they're dry.





Second: Tie the stems together and hang them upside down in an open area where they won't come into contact with anything else.





Third: Using a good hold hairspray, soak the flower and bud.





Fourth: Leave hanging for a day or two in the upside down position to allow setting.





Untie and place as desired.





*** I find the hairspray method decreases the colour loss. Obviously, there is discolouration due to the fact the flowers are dying, but the colouring is still rather nice.





I love my roses and I hope this works for you. :)