Hydrangeas are a good looking shrub with an old school attraction, but they match into the trendy backyard seamlessly. Presumably one of the best factor about hydrangeas is you’ll be able to get pleasure from your beautiful blooms indefinitely. Right here’s the way to dry hydrangeas so that they hold their color.
With so many types, colours, and even bloom shapes, you’d simply have the ability to discover a hydrangea that fits your backyard (so long as you might be fortunate sufficient to have the correct local weather, in fact!). You possibly can get pleasure from them each on and off the plant too!
The issue many individuals have with hydrangeas is that they turn out to be limp earlier than they will dry out. Hydrangeas generally tend to lean in the direction of the drama, however they’re truly fairly simple to each hydrate AND dry as soon as you know the way to do it.
Trace: You’re not going to hold them the wrong way up.
That is the easy methodology that I take advantage of to dry hydrangea flowers and hold their hue.
Dried Hydrangea Colors
In fact, you gained’t retain the identical vivid color that you’ve on the plant whereas it’s rising within the backyard. The color which you can obtain on a dried hydrangea is extra of a muted set of greens, grays, blues, pinks, and purples that look stunning when displayed collectively.
The opposite factor to notice is that the local weather and temperature at which the hydrangea shrub grows will have an effect on how a lot color is retained within the dried flower. It’s not an ideal system, however ideally, you might be searching for a wholesome plant grown in applicable circumstances. You possibly can learn extra about that in my important information to hydrangeas.
Do you know you’ll be able to simply change your hydrangea’s blooms from pink to blue (or vice versa)? Right here’s how one can make your hydrangea change color.
When to Lower Hydrangeas for Drying
Mom nature and plant care apart, timing once you reduce the blooms is an important issue which you can management. For those who go away the hydrangea heads to dry on the shrub, they will lose all of their colour. For those who reduce the blooms too early, they will wilt (versus dry with the petals retaining their form).
To be able to retain probably the most color, you have to to let flowers partially dry on the shrub first. Relying on when your plant blooms, it’s best to begin checking on the flowers mid-way by the bloom time.
The color might be fading, however they are going to nonetheless maintain most of their form, and they’ll begin to tackle a papery really feel. Attempt chopping hydrangea blooms when there’s nonetheless some color remaining to get a dried flower with a color that lasts.
Find out how to Dry Hydrangea Flowers
Take away all the leaves from the stem (or not less than the a part of the stem that might be submerged) and put the flowers in a vase with an inch or two of water.
Place the vase in a cool space, away from direct daylight. The water within the vase will assist to gradual the drying course of; the bloom might be preserved higher with a slower transition. As soon as the water is gone, will probably be fully dried and can final indefinitely.
You possibly can contact the preserved hydrangea heads to see how dry they’re. They need to really feel papery.
What to Do With Dried Hydrangeas
Dry hydrangea flowers are very delicate, so it’s usually higher to create your craft or dried flower association earlier than they dry. That’s exactly what I did with this hydrangea wreath. I made the wreath with partially dried blooms and allowed the drying course of to complete on the entrance door! See the way to make the wreath right here.
I like utilizing dried hydrangea flowers in all types of crafts, together with this dried flower association. For those who don’t have a big stem, you’ll be able to add some by utilizing a bamboo skewer and florist’s tape to increase the stem of your dried hydrangea flowers.
FAQ About Find out how to Dry Hydrangeas
Earlier than you’ll be able to dry your hydrangea flowers, they need to be as hydrated as attainable. After chopping them from the shrub, instantly put them in water.
As soon as inside, reduce the stem once more and, this time, place it in boiling water. Be sure the steam can escape. On this case, boiling water is extraordinarily useful in forcing the stems to drink water.
Hydrangeas may also drink by their petals, so folks soak their flowers in a bowl of water. Whereas this methodology works nice for recent hydrangeas, it doesn’t work for flowers which are already partially dry, which is what we’re going for after chopping the hydrangeas.
As soon as dried fully, you’ll be able to spray any dried flowers with hairspray. Guarantee it’s low-cost and clear…don’t waste the good things. This may assist to create a protecting layer over the petals so that they’re not fairly as delicate.
When the hydrangeas are dried, they’re extraordinarily delicate. I like to recommend making any preparations barely earlier than the entire flower is dried, as will probably be stronger. As above, spray with hairspray and avoid warmth and daylight to delay the lifetime of your dried hydrangea flowers.
