What's the most effective way to dry roses?

Question

If I let them dry once they start dying, the petals turn all brown and smell weird. But, I don't want to kill fresh roses because good ones aren't really cheap. Any tips?

Actually I don't really want to retain the color, the purpose of drying them is because I like the deep violet-red they turn when they [red roses] die :D

Answer 1

I am with beautilicious88. Drying between a few sheets of newspaper with a book on top seems to work well, especially to get the colour you want.
Otherwise, for future reference, the hair spray thing appears to work really well also. You might want to try both ways.
--That Cheeky Lad

Answer 2

The best way is to take them out of the water before they open, too much, and hang them upside down in a dark warm room. Tie a bunch with string and hang from a hanger. After 3-4 days spray with hairspray. Leave them to dry 3-4 weeks, (.still upside down).They will retain most of their colour and last a few years. Good luck!

Answer 3

The easiest way to dry Roses is to remove all the leaves and hang the flower stems in a warm dry place i.e. kitchen or airing cupboard.
Leave them for approx' 8 - 10 weeks and they should be crisp and dry. I made my Daughter-in-law's wedding bouquet this way and she still has it after 4 years.

Answer 4

Well Ive done this before... first off... when you buy the roses, right away hang them upside down so they dont start to fall to the side. Then wait a day or two till they really bloom out then HAIRSPRAY them. They will look sooo beautiful. Ive done this and they looked soo nice even a week later! Goodluck!

Answer 5

Air Drying: (The easiest method)

You will need:

Clippers
Basket or Container
Rubber Bands
The secret to air drying roses is to dry the flowers as quickly as possible. Select stems of rose blooms a few days before their prime, and only the perfect blooms. Past prime roses usually drop their petals too easy when dried, and damaged blooms are unsightly in dried arrangements. Pick only on dry days (mid-morning is best) -- avoid any and all contamination from rain and dew.

Remove the lower leaves from the stems, then using rubber bands to fasten, group harvested roses together in small bunches, being careful that no blooms touch each other. Hang the individual bunches upside down in a dry, dark, warm area. A clothes hanger in an empty closet works great, or from the ceiling in a kitchen.

Air drying times vary with humidity, but the roses should dry within five to ten days normally.

Drying With Silica Gel:

You will need:

Clippers
Air Tight Containers (cookie tins)
Egg Cartons
Small Paint Brush
Florist Wire
Small Spoon
Silica Gel

Select rose blooms a few days before their prime, and only the perfect blooms that are completely dry, no dew. Past prime roses usually drop their petals too easy when dried, and damaged blooms are unsightly in dried arrangements. Pick only on dry days (mid-morning is best) -- avoid any and all contamination from rain and dew.

Purchased at a craft or nursery supply store, Silica gel looks like sugar with small blue crystals in it, and can be used repeatedly, making the cost fairly practical. The gel works as a desiccant that pulls moisture out of the flowers, resulting in spectacular dried blooms. The flowers appear almost fresh, although the color darkens somewhat.

To reactivate the gel after original use, place it in a baking tin in a low temperature (200°F) oven for about an hour.

Cut egg cartons to fit inside the airtight containers. The egg cartons will support the shape of the individual rose blooms. Slowly pour silica into the bottom of the carton. Carefully place each rose in separate cups of the egg carton, then cover each with silica. Close the container tight.

Check the roses after a couple of days to see if they are dry. Don't leave them in too long or they become overly crisp. Tip the container to remove the silica and handle the roses carefully. Lift them out with a small spoon. Store the flowers in a cardboard box with a layer of silica gel in the bottom to prevent them from becoming damp (roses will reabsorb water outside the box).

Spray the blooms with an inexpensive hair spray, or sealer from a craft store, to preserve the color and make the roses less fragile to handle. Dried flower arrangements will last 6 to 12 months, or longer, if you protect them from moisture and direct sunlight. Store the arrangements in plastic containers. To freshen up the design, re-spray with a sealer or use a hair dryer on the lowest setting.

Answer 6

The MOST effective way? Freeze-dry it.

Most people don't have vaccuum chambers, or access to them, so you probably won't be able to do that.
(Freeze-drying isn't just putting it in a freezer - it's putting it in a vaccuum chamber and sucking out the air, and the water along with it).

Answer 7

if you still want them to look vibrant you have to bury them completly in silica gel granules and do it when they are still alive and looking good. You can also dry them in air hanging upside-down, but you can;t retain the color as well.

Answer 8

Put it in the middle of a big book, a heavy one preferably. Leave it for a number of days, maybe a week or 2 or untill it dries to your satisfaction.

Answer 9

I just hang them up side down...and let them stay like that for a few days.

Answer 10

Silica gel in the microwave is easy!
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/vg_dryroses.html