How to Dry and Press Flowers
By drying or pressing your fresh flowers, you can creatively save your summer blooms to be enjoyed year-round! Both dried flowers and pressed flowers can be used to make pressed flower art, fun crafts, gifts, and decorations.
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
- A heavy book
- Large brick or rock
- Hanger or hook
Materials
- Fresh flowers
- Newspaper
- Tissue paper
Instructions
How to Dry Flowers
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Prep the Flowers for Drying
Remove unwanted leaves, divide the flowers into small bunches, and tie them together with string, yarn, or rubber bands.
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Hang the Flowers
Hang the flowers upside down on a hanger or hook in a warm, dry, dark place.
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Check on the Flowers
Drying flowers usually takes a couple of weeks. However, the length of time will vary depending on the kind of flowers you are drying, the humidity, and the temperature. Check on your flowers every two to three days. They should be dry to the touch.
How to Press Flowers
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Set up Pressing Materials
Set out a piece of cardboard that is almost the same size as your book. Lay a piece of newspaper (about the same size of your cardboard piece) on top of that, followed by a piece of tissue paper (also about the same size as your cardboard piece).
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Lay Out the Flowers
Place the flowers on the tissue paper. Make sure none of the flowers touch one another or hang over the side of the tissue paper. Cover the flowers with another piece of tissue paper, then the newspaper, and then cardboard. Continue this process, one on top of the other until all your flowers are prepared.
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Press the Flowers
Once your stack is done, top it off with your heavy book and the brick or stone. Allow gravity to take its toll; the process can take two to four weeks.