How To Dry Hydrangea Flowers In 3 Easy Steps
As the summer gardening season comes to a close, vibrant hydrangea flowers begin to take on softer, subdued colors with the fall season. This beautiful seasonal display isn't just for the outdoors; the bodacious blooms look amazing (and are long-lasting) when cut and dried. Whether you want to create a stunning centerpiece for your holiday gathering or a long-lasting arrangement to brighten a mantelpiece, drying your hydrangea flowers allows you to extend their charm far beyond the blooming season. Here, we'll explain how to cut and dry hydrangea flowers in your garden with three easy-to-follow steps.
Step 1: Cut
The first step to gorgeous dried hydrangeas is to grab your garden pruners and make a diagonal cut just above a flower node. Trim any leaves off the stem to clean up the cutting and allow all the energy to be diverted to the flower. The best time to cut and dry hydrangea flowers is in late summer and early autumn, as the moisture levels in the plant have already dropped, keeping the florets vibrant and intact. If you cut hydrangea flowers early in the growing season, around early summer, they contain more moisture and may be more susceptible to wilting during the drying process.
If you're unsure whether to cut or wait, run your hand over the hydrangea. If the flower's texture is dry and papery, it's ready to cut!
Step 2: Dry
There are a few methods to finish drying hydrangea flowers after cutting. One method to drying is to place the flowers in a vase with about an inch of water after cutting. Leave them alone, and allow the flowers to finish drying as they slowly take up water. If the flowers were nearly thoroughly dried when cut, they can be placed in a vase without water. Another method is to bundle cuttings together and hang them upside down in a dark, dry location. If you are cutting hydrangea flowers late in the season, there is a good chance they area already mostly dry and won't take long to finish drying after being cut.
Some color change may happen in the drying process, and vibrant pinks, purples, and greens may take on softer, more muted hues as they continue to dry.
Step 3: Enjoy!
Now that your hydrangea flowers are fully dried, there are a multitude of ways to enjoy them. Dried flower arrangements make the perfect addition to your family table during the holidays. Place your dried hydrangeas in a large vase to make it a focal point of the table, or scatter the cuttings along the center. Aside from adding your dried hydrangeas to cut flower arrangements, you can also use them to create homemade seasonal wreaths, a hydrangea garland, or even a seasonal cutting broom. The possibilities are endless!
Discover new and exciting ways to use dried hydrangea flowers in your home on our blog: 5 Easy Ways To Use Dried Hydrangeas From Your Garden