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My Reward PointsDrying your flowers can keep them beautiful and retain their sentimental worth, whether it's your bridal bouquet, an anniversary or Valentine's Day arrangement, or a particularly lovely vase of flowers you collected from your own yard.
Dry flowers can be utilised in a variety of creative projects and make attractive house decorations. The type of flower and the desired aesthetic will determine the drying Majorly, there are 2 ways in which you can dry flowers. In this blog, we will talk about dry flowers without silica gel & with silica gel.
What is silica gel?
Silica gel is a material that naturally occurs in sand. It helps absorb excess moisture from the air. When a flower is placed in an airtight container with silica gel, it absorbs moisture from around the flower while preventing it from rotting. It reserves its color and shape.
How to Dry Flowers With Silica Gel?
When it comes to preserving the colour and beauty of flowers, silica gel is fantastic. It's the ideal option for drying flowers to use in jewellery, wreaths, resin crafts, potpourri, or dried flower arrangements.
What You’ll Need:- Fresh Flowers
- Silica Gel Crystals (Not Silica Sand)
- Airtight Plastic Or Metal Container
- Pruners Or Scissors
- Gloves And Mask (Recommended)
Steps:
1.) Trim Flowers and Stems
Use fresh flowers for the finest quality. Simply trim all the stems so only the flowers remain.
2.) Fill an Airtight Plastic Container with Gel
Use fresh flowers for the finest quality. Simply trim all the stems so only the flowers remain. Start by adding a layer of crystals to your container that is 1.5 inches thick. After that, put the flowers in the container with their faces up and cover them with additional crystals so that they are totally covered but not drowned. When finished, tighten the cover and store the container somewhere dry.
3.) Dry Completely Before Removing from Gel
Most flowers will dry sufficiently to be removed from the silica gel after 2-4 days. Rose buds and zinnia blooms, which have thicker cores, may require closer to seven days.
When the flowers are dry, take them out of the container and use a soft brush to remove any extra silica. If you want to help preserve the petals from the humidity in the room, you can leave a small amount of gel inside the petals.
How to Dry Flowers Without Silica Gel?
If you feel like this process is too complicated for you, then don’t worry! We even have options that do not require silica gel. Read on to explore these options so you can use your dried flowers.
1.) Air Drying Flowers
Air Drying is one of the best option to dry flowers without silica gel. Let's start with air-drying, which is both the most conventional and environmentally friendly approach to dry flowers. This way of drying your blossoms enlists the assistance of nature, however it can take a little longer time. Less energy is required over time for air to dry flowers. You won't put in much work, but in the end, you'll be able to take pleasure in doing what you set out to do.
First, be sure to trim all flower stems to the proper length after removing any extra foliage. The ultimate size should, however, not be any smaller than six inches. When you cut the plants, it is crucial to keep the flowers out of direct sunlight so they can maintain their natural colour even during the drying process.
Start hanging the flowers one at a time or gather the stems to make a bouquet to give. Now place the plants somewhere dark with adequate air circulation, like an attic or unused closet. You may fasten the bottom of the plants by using some dental floss that is flavor- and alcohol-free.
The flowers may be hung upside down by being secured to a hanger. You can allow them to dry evenly in this way. Until you feel that they have dried uniformly, leave the flowers in this position for a few weeks or longer.
After removing the flowers from the hangers, coat them with an unscented hairspray to create a barrier of protection.
2.) Drying Flowers Using Microwaves
We have excellent news for you if you'd rather choose a quicker option than air-drying and avoid having to wait weeks for your favourite plants: the microwave technique may be used to wonderfully dry flowers. Keep in mind that this process involves the tiniest amount of silica gel.
Find a microwave-safe container that is not made of metal or aluminium as the first step, it is very quick process to dry flowers without silica gel. Avoid using a dish that you often use for eating. Now all that's left to do is add a layer of silica gel to the bottom of the holder, no more than two inches thick. Make sure to apply additional gel to the larger plants.
After that, submerge all of your preferred plants in the gel and add more liquid directly on top of the petals. To ensure that the petals stay intact, pour the gel slowly and carefully. Use your hands to help with this.
Do not cover this container when you place it in the microwave. The sort of flower you intend to dry will influence the microwave's temperature. This kind of procedure, though, can need some trial and error. Without going past the two heat settings, start the microwave. For 2 to 5 minutes, place the flowers in the microwave.
Each plant will respond uniquely. Daisies are more delicate and only able to manage mild temperatures, whilst roses are better able to withstand the heat. Make sure to continuously monitor the development of the blooms. When necessary, you can extend the time and heat if the procedure is going slowly.
It is okay to open the microwave and cover the container once the plants and their blossoms have dried fully. Partially open the covered container now that you've removed it before letting the flowers sit for a day.
It's time to remove the gel from the petals. Use a smooth brush and then spritz some acrylic spray on in thin layers. The dried flowers can then be displayed or used in craft projects as a finishing touch.
3.) Flower Press for Drying Plant
This customary practice of pressing flowers are also quick and easy process to dry flowers without silica gel use. Depending on the resources you have at your disposal and the amount of time you have, there are several methods you may conserve the flowers.
You can use the following objects to press and dry flowers and plants:
- Bouquet Press
- A Book
- The Iron
- Using a Microwave
You should use the following while employing the flower pressing technique:
- Preferred Plants (of course)
- Large Books
- Flower Presses or Irons
- Disposable Paper (whether it is parchment paper, coffee filters, or thin cardboard)
- A Weight, only if you're using a book.
Conclusion
There you have it! Now you can make your very own dried flowers using these techniques and make your own interior decorations and the myriad of other projects that can be created using dried flowers. Read complete article to know how to dry flowers without silica gel and with silica gel. However, if you are short of time and need dried flowers right away, then VedaOils is here for you! Browse from our variety of dried flowers and get whatever you like! Check it out now.
