Ok, so the techniques you tried in the eighth grade weren’t super effective... Here are a few tips to get the job done right.
- Colorful, compact flowers with strong stems and low moisture do best. Hydrangeas or roses are perfect options.
- Get the cut right. Snip your flowers as soon as they begin to bloom (it’s fine if some of the blooms are still partly unopened). Cut the flowers mid-morning on a breezy day, after the dew has dried off. This keeps them from getting damp, which would mean a longer drying time and a greater threat of mold developing on the flowers. Make your cut clean and angled, and keep as much of the stem as you can.
- Dry your flowers in a room that’s dry, cool, and well-ventilated, say, a big closet. Keep the light low because too much of it will dull the color. Make bunches about one and a half inches thick at the stem and tie them with a rubber band.
- Hang the bouquets upside down from a drying rack (or anything else that works). Place a drop cloth or waste basket beneath the flowers for any petals or leaves that might fall.
- Walk away. They’ll take about 10 to 20 days to dry completely. Once they’re ready, continue to keep them out of direct sunlight so the color doesn’t fade.
-- The Nest Editors
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