A bouquet of fresh flowers brings color and life to the home. Dried flowers are at a disadvantage in these two points, but offer their own decorative charm for much longer, which is more sustainable.

In principle, all flowers can be dried, but Roses and helichrysums are among those preferred by fans. Pansies, hydrangeas, daisies, Chinese lanterns and lavender are also ideal.

1. Air drying flowers

The easiest and most energy-saving way is to air dry flowers. To achieve the best results You must choose a dark, warm and dry place such as an attic or a basement. if you have one. Otherwise, you only need the flowers that you want to dry and little else apart from a dose of patience.

You need:

• Fresh flowers or a bouquet of flowers
• Twine or raffia ribbon

Time needed to prepare the flowers for the drying process of several weeks: 10 minutes.

Ideally, you will begin the process once the flower buds are fully open and the bouquet is still fresh:

How to prepare flowers:

If there are already some wilted petals, pluck them. If you want, you can remove the leaves from the stems and dry the wet stems well.

Hang the flowers:

• Secure the stems to string or raffia ribbon and hang the bouquet upside down.
• During the drying process, you may need to re-tighten the twine, as the stems will shrink a little over time.
• Let dry for approximately 2 to 4 weeks.

If you have hairspray at home, you can spray the flowers with it. This is the advice they usually give in florists. It serves for better conservation and to maintain the colors of the flowers.

2. Drying flowers in the oven

The drying process in the oven It is faster than outdoors, but consumes much more energy.

• To use this method Take a piece of metal mesh and pass the flower stems through the holes, allowing the flowers to remain on the mesh and the stems to hang freely.
• Individual flowers can also be spread out on a tray lined with baking paper or an alternative to baking paper.
• Set the oven to 35 or 40ºC and keep the oven door ajar with a wooden spoon. Drying time is approximately 1-2 hours, but varies depending on type and quantity.
• Let the dried flowers cool.
• After, You can also use hairspray for better preservation.

3. Dry flowers in a book

If you have some thick tomes at home, you can also dry flowers on them and make them last longer this way. Small, flat flowers are best suited for this procedure.

Cover the flowers on both sides with parchment paper and place them in the middle of a thick book. Check the drying process after approximately 2 to 4 weeks.

Gently remove the dried flowers with tweezers. Pressed flowers are ideal for decorating cards or for framing

4. Drying flowers with glycerin

An especially useful method for roses and hydrangeas is drying with glycerin.

• To use this method, Mix water and glycerin in a 2:1 ratio. Cut the flowers from the stems at an angle and place them in the mixture.
• After a few days, the flowers will have absorbed the solution and the remaining water will have evaporated. Meanwhile, the glycerin has caused the flowers to dry out. When the preservation process is completed, small droplets form on the petals.
• If you want to keep a complete bouquet, Place the flowers in a vase with a mixture of water and glycerin until droplets form (about 1-2 days). Then remove the bouquet and air dry it upside down.

5. Drying flowers with salt or silica gel

Without having to turn on the oven and faster than outdoors, Drying salt and silica gel can be used for dehydration with good results.

For this drying method, You need an airtight container, the bottom of which is first covered with a thin layer of flower drying salt or silica gel. Then you put the flowers in and cover them completely with the salt or silica gel. Once covered, close the container.

After about a week, the flowers have dried and you can remove them. Carefully remove any residue with a brush. The advantage of silica gel is that you can reuse it for the next drying process.