A very beautiful tradition is giving and receiving flowers. Even though everyone loves to get flowers, the thing about flowers is that they can’t live forever. The trend to Preserve Flowers is getting viral day by day. Once they die, you might end up losing a memento of your memories as well.

Below are some of the few ways you can preserve flowers

Air Drying

The first and the most basic way you preserve your flowers is by air drying them. It doesn’t take up a lot of effort and gives great end results. All you would have to do is take your bouquet or the bunch of flowers, tie the stems of all the flowers together with a string. Make sure it isn’t too tight as the stems might break and not too loose as they are bound to shrink and will fall down.

Once you have tied them up, hang them upside down in a well ventilated area and let them dry off. In a matter of a few weeks, as a result you’ll get your preserved flowers.

Microwave drying

Next up is a method for those of you who don’t want to wait weeks for your flowers to be in their preserved state. This is a very easy and convenient method. Simply places a coffee filter above and under the flowers, put it on a plate and microwave it for a few minutes. Repeat the process until your flowers are completely dried up. The downside to opting for microwave drying is that you will lose the color of the flowers during the process.

Book Pressing

This is one of the most classic and natural ways of drying up your flowers. This method is often shown in movies and you can do it too. You would need a few hardcovers for this method. Next find a dictionary or any other fat, hardcover book, take your flowers and place them in between wax papers.

Once they are sandwiched between wax papers, put the papers in the middle of the book and leave it for some time. Replace the wax paper every few days for perfect result. This is a great method if you don’t want hasty results.

Silica Gel

This is a method that might require some work. It is not widely performed by people because silica gel is a little pricey.  For this, you would need a jar, silica gel and your flowers. Put at least 1 inch or 1 and a half inch of silica gel on the bottom of the jar. Put your flowers on top of the gel and then pour the same amount of silica gel again on the top of the flowers. Make sure that the gel gets in between all of the flowers.

The good thing about using this method is that the silica gel can be reused. Also, with this method you can easily keep an eye on how the drying process is going along.

Even though it might be expensive, it does work better in the long run and the reusable aspect of it makes it an even better contender.

Freeze Drying

Freeze drying is another option but for this you might have to look for people that offer these services. This is more expensive than other methods but the end results are the best. Freeze drying doesn’t take up a lot of time.  By the end of the process, you will receive flowers that have their original color, shape and even the scent preserved.

Epoxy Resin

This is a very unorthodox method. You would need a mold for this one. Fill it halfway with epoxy resin, set your flowers, and then fill the rest with resin again. Once it dries, take the mold off and you will be able to preserve flowers in their beautiful form.

How do you preserve a rose forever?

How to keep roses forever
  1. Air drying the rose. The most common way of drying roses is the air drying method.
  2. Preserve roses in Glycerin. There are many other uncommon ways to preserve roses including using glycerin to soak the flower in.
  3. Freeze dry your flowers.
  4. Dry your roses in sand.

How do you preserve flowers for a day?

If possible, leave the flowers in their bucket of water in a cool, dark spot for a few hours to let them stabilize before arranging. Even better, leave them overnight. Keep flowers as cool as possible, but avoid putting them in your fridge, if you can.

What to spray on flowers to preserve them?

Using hairspray is an effective and easy way to preserve flowers. Select fresh, blooming flowers, and tie them to a hanger so they can dry. Leave them in a well-ventilated, dark room for 2-3 weeks. When the flowers are completely dry, spray 3 even layers of aerosol hairspray over all of the flowers.

How do you preserve flowers without drying them?

Preserve fresh, just-picked flowers in wax for a satiny, fresh look without drying them. This process gives fragile flowers like roses, tulips and daisies strength and lasting power. Flowers preserved this way typically last a week if you use just a thin coat of wax. The more wax you use, the longer they last.

How do you permanently preserve fresh flowers with Mod Podge?

Take mod podge gloss and add 3 parts mod podge and one part water into a dish. Dip your roses coating eveything. Hold it up so the solution runs inside the flower. Hold over the dish and Henley Shake off excess.

Does Hairspray preserve flowers?

You can also use hairspray to preserve fragile dried flowers—especially bouquets with particular sentimental value. In a well-ventilated spot, evenly spray the surface of the flowers, making sure all the surface is covered, keep a good distance between the hairspray nozzle and the flowers so they aren’t damaged.

How do you make flowers last longer?

How to Keep Cut Flowers Fresh (Almost) Forever
  1. Use a Dark Vase. First things first: “we strongly recommend using either a dark glass vase or ceramic vessel,” says Stembel.
  2. Add DIY Flower Food.
  3. Trim Stems Daily.
  4. Keep Flowers in a Cool Location.
  5. Change the Water Daily.
  6. Remove Any Stems as They Die.
  7. Clean Your Vase.

How do you preserve a leaf with hairspray?

You can preserve maple leaves by fusing them between two sheets of wax paper with an iron, soak the maple leaves in a solution of liquid glycerin and water, or simply microwave the maple leaves and spray them with hairspray afterwards.

How do you dry flowers and keep their color?

To get the best color, cut flowers just before they are fully open, then tie them in bundles, and hang them upside down in a dry, dark, warm location. You’ll get the best color retention from dark locations, because light can bleach the colors. Blue and yellow flowers retain much of their color when air-dried.

How do you dry flowers quickly in the oven?

Preheat your oven to its lowest heat setting and line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Lay out your flowers and make sure they’re not overlapping each other. Place them in the oven and leave the door cracked so moisture can evaporate. Flowers will typically need eight to twelve hours to dry completely.

How do you dry flowers quickly in the microwave?

Can I dry flowers in the microwave?

How to dry flowers… in the microwave. Pop your flowers in the microwave if you want to dry them fast. This technique is also ideal if you want to preserve single flowers, such as gerbera daisies and chrysanthemums. Heat in the microwave for 2-5 minutes on half-power, then remove and dust of any traces of litter.

How long do dry flowers last?

Dried flowers last an average of one year and when the dried flowers are dyed, they even last a couple of years. In compression: fresh flowers only last up to 10 days. So, with dried flowers you are able to create a long-lasting arrangement and bouquet.

Can you dry all types of flowers?

Dry them! When you dry flowers, you can save all your favorite blooms for as long as you want to keep them. And not only do dried flowers last, but you can also use them to decorate your home.

How do you preserve wild flowers?

Steps
  1. Tie the flowers into a bunch with a rubber band. Don’t put more than 8-10 stems into each bunch.
  2. Hang them upside-down in a dry, airy place for a few weeks. A linen cupboard is ideal because you can hang them easily.

What wild flowers can you dry?

Hanging flowers out to dry

Best for: Lavender, larkspur, achillea, roses, cornflower, strawflower, nigella, hydrangea and most foliage. I tend to use silica for more delicate, single flowers. Silica works by drawing out moisture from the flowers, leaving them dry and with their original form and colour.