How to Dry Flowers and Greenery the Easy Way

I think we can all agree that fresh flowers are the best. But they don't last forever! Learn how to dry flowers so you can enjoy a beautiful bouquet for much longer.

A few years ago, when I lived about 12 hours away from home, I remember coming to visit and being totally taken by a gorgeous dried flower arrangement my mom had in her dining room.

I said, "That is SO beautiful! Where did you get it?" (Yes, young naïve me, not even knowing you could dry your own flowers... *cringe*)

She then told me that she had a bouquet of fresh flowers that she really liked, so she tied a string around the whole bouquet and hung it upside down in the basement for a couple of weeks. Once it was dry, she untied it and popped it into a pretty vase. Voila!

It really feels like such a waste to throw away pretty flowers. I love that there are ways to preserve and continue to appreciate their beauty.

I've concluded that just hanging them upside down for a couple of weeks, even though it requires patience, is the simplest way to do it and I still love the results.

How Long Do Dried Flowers Last?

This depends on their environment, but they can definitely last more than 1 year. If they are kept out of direct sunlight and in a dry climate, they will last the longest.

I throw out my older florals when I have a new bouquet to dry! Although, you want to dry and arrange the new flowers before throwing out the old, just in case anything goes wrong.

What Are Other Methods to Dry Flowers?

Here are the common methods for drying flowers:

• Air drying (cheapest and easiest)
• Silica gel (often in the microwave to speed up the process)
• Dehydrator
• Flower press or large book (for pressed flowers)

I prefer air drying because it is the cheapest (basically costs NOTHING) and the easiest. Really anyone can do it without much trouble. If you want the most vibrant colors, the silica gel method will allow the best retention of color.

What Flowers Are Best For Drying?

Some flowers look much better after drying than others. This excellent article goes through the 30 best flowers for drying and how exactly to handle them for the best results.

Honestly, I just dry whatever I get. Some of the flowers wilt and fade more than others and that's okay with me. You can totally look through the list and seek out the best flowers for drying if you want optimal results. Also, all the types of greenery that have come in my bouquets dry out beautifully!

When to Start to Dry Flowers

You want to start the drying process BEFORE your flower bouquet starts to wilt. This will yield the best results. Enjoy your fresh flowers for a couple of days, then dry.

How to Preserve Color When Drying Flowers

When air drying florals, you will best preserve color by drying in a dark place, since light can bleach the petals.

There aren't really any dark places in my home (which I am thankful for!) that have enough space to hang flowers. So I dry mine where I can and they get exposed to light (although, not direct sunlight), but I still love the results every time.

Tools You May Need to Air Dry Flowers

String or thin rope

Elastic bands or twist-ties

Paper towel or rag

Scissors (if you want to cut some length off stems or use for removing wilted parts)

How to Dry Flowers Instructions

Find a Place for Hanging

Determine a suitable place to hang your flowers. Remember that the flowers will be drying for 3-4 weeks, so make sure it's somewhere that will be relatively undisturbed, and it is ideal to be out of direct sunlight. You can use a string or a rod. It may require some creativity, but there is a way.

For example, I tied one end of my string to an antler tine (yes, we have 2 sets of deer antlers hanging on the wall in our office) and the other end to a small nail I hammered gently just above the trim around the closet door (no one will ever see the hole!).

Remove Drooping Parts

Even if your bouquet is relatively fresh and mostly still perky and vibrant, there may be a few leaves and flowers that have drooped and wilted. Remove all of these and any other flowers and greenery you don't want to save.

Dry the Stems

If you are drying a fresh bouquet, your flowers will likely have been sitting in water. It's ideal to use a paper towel or rag to wipe off any excess water from the stems and low-hanging leaves before hanging to dry.

Hang Flowers

You can hang flowers and greenery separately, in small bunches or together as a full bouquet. I usually choose to hang them all separately, because I like to play with making different floral arrangements after they have dried. If you dry them as a full bouquet, just know you won't be able to separate them because they'll have dried sort of twisted together and will be very fragile.

Use elastics, string, dental floss or twist ties (the easiest) to attach individual flowers, or a string tightly wrapped around a full bouquet, to your string for hanging.

Let the Drying Begin!

Now comes patience. Wait for 3-4 weeks for your flowers to fully dry. When the petals feel papery and aren't limp anymore, they are finished! Some people use hair spray to protect the dried flowers, but I avoid chemicals like the plague, so I don't. They still last a really long time. It's your choice!

Ways to Use Dried Flowers

My favorite way is to arrange them in a vase. I usually have 2 bouquets around, so I mix and match the flowers and greenery between 2 vases. It's a lot of fun!

Create a dried flower wreath. You can purchase an inexpensive wreath form along with some floral wire at many dollar stores. Simply arrange and rearrange your flowers on the wreath form until you are happy with the look, then wrap the floral wire around in a couple of different spots to secure the arrangement. This look is especially fitting for fall decor.

Give a dried flower bouquet as a gift to a friend or family member!

And that's all there is to it! It's very simple to do, just requires a little patience. I hope you'll be enjoying your future flower bouquets for months or years after you get them!

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