Summer gives us plenty of colorful flowers and wild foliage that we can dry and use during the winter months when there will be less choice of seasonal flowers. Do you want your RAW to last longer? Be creative and try to dry the flowers and foliage you love the most. All types of flowers can be dried, the secret is to choose the best method! Depending on the type of flower, the drying process can last from a week to a month. Once ready use the dried flowers for small compositions at home or combine them with your bouquet of fresh flowers for a country touch!
1. Upside down
The most classic method is to remove the excess leaf on the stem and hang the flowers or green branches upside down in a dark and dry room, so that the stems do not rot and retain their color. This technique can be used with any type of flower, gravity will ensure that the stems remain straight.
2. On a grill
Zinnia, rudbeckia and in general the "daisy-shaped" flowers need support to be able to dry with the petals open, insert the stem in a grid or in the slots of an outdoor table with the corolla looking up and resting to the table. In this way the flower has the support to be able to dry without bending the petals.
3. In the vase
Flowers with rigid or woody stems can be dried in a vase. Put a little water in the jar so that the tips are soaked, forget about your vase and once the water evaporates your flowers will be dried! The statice and the green branches are perfect for this type of drying.
4. In the press
As it was done in hot summer when childrens, wildflowers with thin petals such as cosmos, cornflower, violets or chamomile can be dried in a press and used in decorative paintings! Don't you have one? Use a book with thick and heavy pages.