Fall is coming fast and as I walked around my garden today I thought how much I need to start drying my flowers before they're all gone. My favorite dried flowers are cone flowers (Echinacia). Their sturdiness and color-fastness make them excellent for drying. Most annuals don't dry well because of their high water content. They tend to wither away to mush after
a few days.
The way I dry my flowers is to tie the flower stems together in a bunch and hang them upside down in my garage rafters. I put them as high up as possible where the air is very warm and dry (an attic works well too). Don't put too many flowers in a bunch or they tend to mold before drying fully.
Depending on the flower, some you should cut in full bloom, and some should be cut before fully open. You'll have to experiment a little.
You can dry herbs this way also. Oregano works wonderful dried this way. |
