3 simple methods to dry flowers and preserve your favorite blooms

• To dry flowers, first cut the stems and remove any unwanted leaves or wilted petals.
• Air-drying and pressing are the simplest methods, but they can take several weeks.
• Silica gel is the quickest method, and it yields the most realistic-looking blooms.

Be it wedding flowers and other sentimental floral arrangements, or a single flower you just picked, dried flowers have a practical and artistic appeal: They're subtly dramatic, low maintenance, and better for the environment than regularly filling your home with fresh bunches.

"While drying flowers can take a long time and are also very fragile, they're super versatile, available year-round, and can last forever," says Tobore Oweh, owner and creative director of the Los Angeles-based floral and design boutique The Petal Effect.

Fortunately, you don't need a green thumb to dry your own florals.

Here are three of the most common techniques to dry flowers, depending on how much time you want to spend and the materials you have on hand.

Prepare the flowers for drying

Before beginning any method, you'll want to prep your flowers to yield the best results.

Choose fresh flowers that will work best for your preferred method, remove any wilted petals and unwanted leaves, clip off any thorns, and cut the stems at an angle to the desired length.

Quick tip: In addition to the DIY route, many florists offer dried bouquets and arrangements. If you're looking for fresh and dried florals, check out the best online flower delivery services.

Method 1: How to press flowers

What you need

• Fresh flowers that preferably lay flat and have a single layer of thin petals, like pansies, daisies, cosmos, Queen Anne's lace, and California poppies
• Heavy books or a wooden flower press
• Unbleached paper or flat cardboard

The process of pressing flowers involves drying flower petals by using either a flower press or a heavy book to press the moisture out of the petals. "The best time to press flowers using this method is when they are fresh and dry," says Oweh.

To dry flowers with a heavy book, arrange the flowers between sheets of unbleached paper, and put them inside the pages of the book. This will not only absorb moisture from the flowers, but protect the pages of your book.

Once the book is closed, you can add a heavy item such as a paper weight to apply pressure. Oweh suggests refraining from using textured paper, such as paper towels, that could leave unwanted imprints or breaks in the dried petals.

Using a book is the easiest way to press flowers, but you can also make or buy a dedicated wooden flower press, which is ideal for bigger blooms. The same concept applies: "Stack the inside of the press with flat cardboard, double sheets of unbleached paper and your laid out flowers, being aware not to lay them too close to each other," says Oweh.

Whether you choose to press flowers with books or a flower press, the process can take up to 30 days.

Quick tip: Pressed flowers encourage the most imagination and creativity. They can be framed or used to create bookmarks, note cards, writing paper, candles, phone cases, and more.

Method 2: How to air-dry flowers

What you need

• Flowers with low water content such as marigolds, thistle, hydrangeas, roses, strawflowers, and yarrow
• Scissors or pruners
• String or rubber band
• Hanging area in cool, dark place like an empty closet
• Hair spray (optional)

The air-drying method lets nature do all the work, simply by hanging your blooms.

Oweh recommends using larger bouquets and arrangements for this method, letting them air dry when they are in mid-bloom.

"With air-drying, start by securing your bunch of flowers with a piece of string or rubber band and hang them upside down in a cool, dark place with good air circulation," says Oweh.

While this method can take a few weeks depending on the flower, it is the least expensive and less intensive method. Your flowers will be ready as soon as they are dry to the touch and have slightly shriveled and faded in color.

Keep in mind that when arranging your dried flowers, some petals and leaves may crumple or fall. Visualize your arrangement before preparing and be mindful of the flowers' fragility.

To keep your dried flowers pristine and slow down the fading process, Oweh recommends spraying your flowers with hair spray.

Quick tip: Air-dried flowers make for beautiful hanging arrangements indoors, away from too much light or moisture to preserve their color and shape.

Method 3: How to dry flowers in silica gel

What you need

• Most flowers, especially those with big flower heads, will work as long as they fit in your container
• Silica gel
• Scissors or pruners
• Dust mask
• Gloves
• Hair spray (optional)
• Microwavable container (optional)

Found in many packaged products, silica gel absorbs and holds water, making it the perfect material to dry flowers in. Drying flowers using silica gel is considered the best method and leaves flowers looking the most realistic, according to Oweh. In this process, it is common to use a variety of fresh, single flowers in full bloom.

Before using this method, gear up with a protective mask and gloves to avoid inhaling the non-toxic silica gel dust and to prevent cleaning silica gel off your hands.

"The first step is to fill your container with one to two inches of silica gel, then place flowers face up and slowly continue to pour over the flowers, making sure petals do not get flattened," says Oweh.

With the silica gel method, there are two approaches to drying your flowers: with and without a microwave. If you're in a rush to dry and arrange your flowers, using your microwave will yield quicker results. Otherwise, you can let your flowers sit until they're ready.

• Without microwave: Place flowers in a container with a sealed lid and set them aside for three to five days. After that, Oweh instructs to gently remove your dried flowers from the container and use a paint brush to get the excess gel off the flowers.
• With microwave: "Once your flowers have been covered in gel, pop in the microwave for a minute, let the container cool for about 30 minutes and then remove your dried flowers," says Oweh.

Once you're ready to create an arrangement, you can spray your flowers with hair spray to help preserve their color.

Caring for dried flowers

Unlike fresh flowers or houseplants, dried flowers are low maintenance and quite easy to care for. Keeping them warm and dry at all times is a must.

• Well-ventilated, dry rooms are the ideal environment. "Choose a space that has good air ventilation to avoid creating moisture on the dried flowers that can lead to mold," says Oweh.
• Keep them out of direct sunlight: While dried flowers are known to fade in color over time, it's best to keep them out of direct sunlight to slow down this process.
• Display them in a safe place: Oweh recommends placing them in a spot that isn't accessible to children, pets, or somewhere you might brush against your flowers frequently.
• Keep them clean. To keep dust off your dried flowers, use a hair dryer on a low, cool setting and hold the dryer about 10-12 inches from the flowers.
• Store them carefully. To store your flowers, wrap them in newspaper and place them in a box or container, away from light and moisture.

Insider's takeaway

Drying flowers can be a simple, fun project to create beautiful and long-lasting decor or a thoughtful gift.

If you want to simply and quickly dry flowers to use in crafting, pressing flowers is the best option. For a more lush and full arrangement or bouquet that takes time, air drying flowers is the way to go. If you're looking for a more advanced method to create the most realistic dried blooms, use the silica gel method.

If you ever grow tired of your dried flowers, Oweh recommends a simple way to repurpose them: "You can always make potpourri."