The ideal time to cut hydrangea blossoms for drying is toward the end of the season, August through October, when the larger petals are starting to fade or change color and the tiny flowers on top of the colorful petals are just beginning to open. If you can't really see the tiny flowers on your hydrangea variety, going by the changing shades of color is just fine.Hydrangeas are very forgiving flowers. In fact, you can simply let them dry on the plant, until the petals feel papery. The only time drying hydrangeas on the plant is a bad idea is during a rainy season.
The Right Time to Cut
It isn’t the method of preservation that’s important, it’s choosing the right time to cut or harvest the hydrangea flowers. Don’t be tempted to snip the gorgeous blooms when they’re at their peak color. They simply won’t dry well in the open air. Instead, let them naturally dry on the stems and aim for harvesting from August through October, depending on climate zone.
There are three basic methods of preserving hydrangeas: water drying, use of silica gel and air drying
The Process of Drying by water
The process begins mid to late summer in the garden in search of viable candidates. The blooms should be cut as soon as they feel papery and less supple than they were earlier in the season. The papery stage typically occurs at least six weeks after the flowers open, although sunlight can hasten maturity.
In the coolness of morning is when the flowers are mostly harvested with pruning shears and a bucket of water. Collect flower heads, cut stems at an angle, strip leaves, and place the cuttings in water.
After the harvest the stems are cut at varying lengths and placed in jars containing about four inches of water, about a half-dozen stems per jar. By staggering stem heights, each head benefits from air circulation, which is crucial in drying. The jars are then placed indoors, out of direct sunlight or bright light, for one to two weeks. If, after that time, the water has evaporated and the flowers still aren't dry, more water is added to give the blooms more drying time.
Compared to the bright, clear colors of fresh blooms, air-dried hydrangeas take on muted hues. Once the blooms are dry, they are arranged in vases, wreaths, and topiaries. When displayed away from humidity and direct sunlight, dried hydrangeas last indefinitely.
The Right Time to Cut
It isn’t the method of preservation that’s important, it’s choosing the right time to cut or harvest the hydrangea flowers. Don’t be tempted to snip the gorgeous blooms when they’re at their peak color. They simply won’t dry well in the open air. Instead, let them naturally dry on the stems and aim for harvesting from August through October, depending on climate zone.
There are three basic methods of preserving hydrangeas: water drying, use of silica gel and air drying
The Process of Drying by water
The process begins mid to late summer in the garden in search of viable candidates. The blooms should be cut as soon as they feel papery and less supple than they were earlier in the season. The papery stage typically occurs at least six weeks after the flowers open, although sunlight can hasten maturity.
In the coolness of morning is when the flowers are mostly harvested with pruning shears and a bucket of water. Collect flower heads, cut stems at an angle, strip leaves, and place the cuttings in water.
After the harvest the stems are cut at varying lengths and placed in jars containing about four inches of water, about a half-dozen stems per jar. By staggering stem heights, each head benefits from air circulation, which is crucial in drying. The jars are then placed indoors, out of direct sunlight or bright light, for one to two weeks. If, after that time, the water has evaporated and the flowers still aren't dry, more water is added to give the blooms more drying time.
Compared to the bright, clear colors of fresh blooms, air-dried hydrangeas take on muted hues. Once the blooms are dry, they are arranged in vases, wreaths, and topiaries. When displayed away from humidity and direct sunlight, dried hydrangeas last indefinitely.
The Process of Drying by Silica Gel
Silica Gel is available in craft stores; it helps to speed the process of preserving hydrangea flowers. It’s granular, sort of like sea salt and should only be used with good ventilation.
Use a shallow airtight plastic or glass container and spread a one inch thick amount of gel on the bottom. Cut the stems of the hydrangea flowers short to fit in the container. Remove all leaves. Place the flower in the container and hold it while continuing to pour silica gel over and around the top of the flowers. Continue until the hydrangea flowers are covered with half (1/2) inch of silica gel. Place a lid on the container and store for a 4 day.
The Process of Drying by Air
Easy method which involves air drying. This process is best applied for individual flower blooms. Cut and hang the hydrangea flowers by their stems upside down. Air drying results in blooms that are more brittle than those preserved by the water drying method, but they’re still beautiful. Keep the hydrangeas out of the direct sunlight as they dry, because lengthy exposure to sunlight will cause the blooms to fade at a faster rate. They take between 10 to 20 days to fully dry.
Silica Gel is available in craft stores; it helps to speed the process of preserving hydrangea flowers. It’s granular, sort of like sea salt and should only be used with good ventilation.
Use a shallow airtight plastic or glass container and spread a one inch thick amount of gel on the bottom. Cut the stems of the hydrangea flowers short to fit in the container. Remove all leaves. Place the flower in the container and hold it while continuing to pour silica gel over and around the top of the flowers. Continue until the hydrangea flowers are covered with half (1/2) inch of silica gel. Place a lid on the container and store for a 4 day.
The Process of Drying by Air
Easy method which involves air drying. This process is best applied for individual flower blooms. Cut and hang the hydrangea flowers by their stems upside down. Air drying results in blooms that are more brittle than those preserved by the water drying method, but they’re still beautiful. Keep the hydrangeas out of the direct sunlight as they dry, because lengthy exposure to sunlight will cause the blooms to fade at a faster rate. They take between 10 to 20 days to fully dry.
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