Fast and Easy Method for Flower Pressing and Drying:
The fastest process is drying flowers in a microwave. (This process is slightly different depending on the microwave and the equipment used. If you try this, please stand watch to prevent over-cooking or even a fire. Start with a minute or less and test for “crunch”. If they are not totally dry, add another 30 seconds at a time until you find the right amount for your microwave. Any water left will “pop” and cause petals and leaves to “scar”.)
Using an old phone book is great for drying flowers in the microwave. (If you can’t find a phone book, you can use a thick catalog with newsprint pages.)
Open the phone book to a page about 1/4” from the front cover. Place the flowers to dry on a page in the book, leaving at least 1/4” between each page of flowers. ( Leaving about 1/4” of the pages between pages with flowers will give the moisture a space to dry out.)
Put the book in the microwave, and heat on high for 2-3 minutes. Check to see if the flowers are dry. Usually in a Pensacola-sized phonebook and an average microwave, it would take about 6 minutes to dry. Continue to check every two minutes. This will give you a rough estimate of the time it will take to dry flowers in your microwave.
Remove the book from heat and lay something heavy on top to keep it flat. When the book has cooled, the flowers are ready to craft with. When the flowers are dry, they are ready to be glued to a card or art project. Use diluted Elmer’s glue to a consistency that can be brushed on the flower. Carefully place the flower to the paper and smooth out with fingers or small paint brush.
Another way to dry flowers is in sand or silica gel. Most of the time, I have used sand from the bay shore, but it has organic matter in it, so it needs to be washed.
Place the sand in a bucket and add water to cover and add dishwashing soap. Stir the sand in the soapy water, then drain the water, add rinse water, and then drain again. Lay the sand on a board or piece of cardboard outside in the sun until the sand is dry.
Put a layer of sand in a shallow box, add the flowers to dry, and cover them with sand. Keep in a warm, dry place such as a climate-controlled house. The flowers should be dry in about a week.
The advantage of this method is that the plants and flowers keep their shape rather than being flattened. These can be used in wreaths and arrangements, where flattened flowers would not hold up. Most times, hot glue can be used to hold these in place.
Dried flowers can be attached to cards or used for artwork. Dried flowers glued on styrofoam balls make beautiful and unique ornaments. Hydrangeas and pansies are great for ornaments, but it is fun to experiment.
Gardeners are artists. The plants that grow in the garden are the materials used to create art, just as the gardens themselves are. This time of year, when the holidays approach, thoughts of gift-giving and holiday decorations come to mind. There are so many ways to use the garden’s bounty to share.
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