How to Dry Sunflowers

How to preserve sunflowers

Sunflowers are cheerful, sunny flowers that give a splash of color to any space. You don’t, however, have to have fresh flowers on hand to obtain that burst of color. Sunflowers may be dried and used as decorations or souvenirs, and they can be placed throughout your house to provide a cheerful touch. You may also dry sunflower seeds for eating or the petals for decoration.

Drying Sunflowers for Decorating

1. Harvest the half opened sunflowers. If you want to dry sunflowers for decoration, select tiny to medium-sized sunflowers that have just just started to blossom. Because the seeds have not completely grown, they should not come out after drying.

2. Cut your bloom with a sturdy stem. The stem should be around 6 inches (15 cm) long, so trim your bloom accordingly. Choose a gorgeous, symmetrical bloom, and remove any dead leaves surrounding the sunflower’s crown.

3. In a dark, dry spot, hang the sunflower to dry. Tie yarn or kitchen thread to the stem’s base. You may group them in threes, but the heads should not come into contact. Choose a dark, dry location to hang them, such as an underused cupboard, closet, or attic.
You may also dry the flowers in a vase. The petals will be more elegantly arched. Keep them in a dark, dry area.

4. In two weeks, check on the blossoms. The sunflowers should dry in approximately two weeks, but it might take up to three weeks. Cut the string and remove them out of the closet when they’re dry.

5. Apply hairspray on the sunflowers. Spray the flower with hairspray to keep the color and form. Use them in vases or trim the stems short for shadow boxes.

Drying Sunflowers with Drying Agents

1. Reduce the length of the stem. When drying with a drying agent, trim the stem to 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) to 2 inches (5.1 centimetres), since stems may become brittle after drying. Create a stem using floral wire while the bloom is still fresh if you want a longer stem. Thread the floral wire through the stem. Bend it down again and pull it through the stem. Wrap the wire around itself many times.

2. Combine cornmeal and borax. Borax and cornmeal can help your sunflowers dry out. Combine it in equal parts. Add a teaspoon or two of salt to the mixture to help it retain its color.

3. To one component sand, mix two parts borax. This combination will also aid in the drying of your flowers. To keep the color, add a teaspoon of salt. This combination, on the other hand, is thicker and may smoosh your blooms a little.

4. Consider using silica gel. Another approach is to use silica gel. Silica gel is what comes in those “Do not eat” packets in shoes, handbags, and sometimes food, but it can also be purchased online or at craft shops. Because it dries things quicker than the other mixes, you don’t need to add salt to maintain the color of the bloom.

5. Make a drying container. When working with silica gel, use a container with a tight-fitting cover. Fill the bottom with approximately 1 inch (2.5 inches) with the drying agent. Place the sunflowers in the container, facing up. Sprinkle the drying agent over the flowers gently until they are completely coated, then cover with the lid.

6. Place the container in a warm, dry location. To help the sunflowers dry, place the container someplace warm and dry, much as you would when hanging flowers. Sunflowers in silica gel should be finished in less than a week. Flowers with other drying agents will take a week or two to dry.

Drying Sunflowers for Seeds

1. Allow the sunflowers to develop on their own in the ground. As long as the weather is warm and dry, you should allow the sunflowers to mature while they are still developing. If at all possible, do not remove the flower heads until the back has turned yellow-brown.
Ideally, you should wait until the sunflower’s petals have faded and the head has drooped. However, when the flower head starts to wilt and droop, you may need to attach it to a stake. The plant’s head will get heavier, and it will begin to sag under its own weight.

2. Cheesecloth may be used to keep birds away from the seeds. Wrap cheesecloth or a paper bag around the flower heads and secure with kitchen thread. This will shield the seeds from birds and squirrels, as well as capture any seeds that fall off.
Before covering the flower head, wait until the blossom begins to fade and droop.

3. The sunflower stem should be cut at an angle. If you need to remove the flower heads early due to pests or weather, cut approximately 1 foot (30 cm) of the stem along with it and hang the plants upside down inside to dry until the back of the flower head becomes totally brown.

4. After a few weeks, remove the seeds. Once the blossoms have fully dried, you should be able to brush the seeds out with your fingers or a stiff brush. A fork may also be used.
You may also extract the seeds from numerous sunflowers by rubbing two sunflower heads together.

5. Prepare the sunflower seeds for consumption. 1 cup of salt to 1 gallon of water Remove any blossom or additional plant pieces from the seeds before pouring them into the water. Soak them for at least eight hours. After soaking, drain the seeds and lay them out on a pan. Place them in a 425°F (218°C) oven and let them dry for approximately five hours.
To keep sunflower seeds for up to a year, place them in an airtight container and place them in the freezer.

Drying Sunflower Petals

1. Gather the petals. Choose a sunflower with brilliant, unbroken petals and remove them one by one with your fingers. As you peel the petals off, take care not to harm them.

2. With pressure, dry the petals. Place the petals between two sheets of blotting paper, parchment paper, or paper towels in a single layer (blotting paper is the best option). Sandwich the papers between two sheets of cardboard. Place a thick book on top and let the petals to dry for a few weeks.
Alternatively, you may just lay the paper towels or blotting paper between the pages of a hefty book.

3. Examine the petals. After two or three weeks, carefully remove the cardboard and blotting paper and gently pick up the petals. If the petals are still damp, use fresh blotting paper and press them for another week or two before inspecting them again.

4. Microwave the petals to dry them. On a microwave-safe plate, place two pieces of paper towel. Arrange the petals in a single layer on top of these paper towels, then cover with another two sheets of clean paper towels. Microwave the petals for 20 to 40 seconds on high power, or until thoroughly dry.
As you microwave the sunflower petals, the moisture generated by them will be absorbed by the paper towels.

5. After the first 20 seconds, check the sunflower petals. If they’re still moist, microwave them in 10 second increments until they’re dry. However, do not let the petals to get crisp.

6. In between batches, dry the dishes and replace the paper towels. Instead of using fresh paper towels, you might leave the paper towels out for a few minutes to dry.
Allow the petals to lay on paper towels for several hours before using them to aid with preservation.