Hydrangeas are a gardener's delight. They provide a huge punch of color and panache all summer long!
To see hydrangea table click HERE.
Graceful and lush, hydrangeas offer big blooms of color and fluff! If dried correctly they also offer year round enjoyment! The techniques for drying hydrangeas are simple. It is the timing that can be a little tricky. But once understood, hydrangeas dry easily and stay beautiful for a year or more.
There are several ways to dry hydrangeas. But the easiest way that produces the best results is water drying.
Follow these easy steps for vibrant flowers that are surprisingly sturdy.
Drying Hydrangeas
*WAIT! Correct timing is everything! Hydrangeas can be harvested from August to October depending on your location and variety of the plant.
Do not pick hydrangeas for drying that have freshly bloomed. There is too much moisture in them and they will begin to die before they dry.
Most hydrangeas will begin to self dry on the bush. When blooms take on a vintage look they are ready to be picked for drying. Some sign to look for are:
~color becomes muted...
~their color will change...
~brown or sepia tones appear on some of the florets...
~and flowers begin to get a papery feel. Trust me on this one.
*Cut hydrangeas from bush and strip all leaves.
*Put flowers in a vase filled about one third full of water. And that's it!
Do not refill the water. Just let it evaporate. If water gets stagnate, replace it with new water to the current watermark.
I put mine in a vase and then in a big basket. It should not sit near a window (like mine) if you are worried about faded color. I'm moving these to on top of the TV cabinet, but it was too high for a good photo.
Drying hydrangeas by using this method will keep the color more vibrant and the heads less fragile than air drying.
And they are perfect for fall decorating!
This garden friend has been spinning a web on my pink hydrangeas. He is a zipper spider ~ so called because he makes a zipper design on his web. Isn't his art marvelous? They are an impressive size. This one was about the size of a generous half dollar. He is a non poisonous, non aggressive spider (that has very poor eyesight) who likes to hangs out in gardens. And he literally hangs upside down. I delight when I see one of these colorful spiders! They are such a wonder to me!
Good tips Yvonne. I wait for the "leathery" feel and then just use an inch or so of water. I am drying most of mine now, they seem to be "ready" early this year, maybe because of all the heat we have had this summer. I am so ready for fall and cooler temps!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about the timing. Many of my Annabelles were dry last month. They hold their color for a year or more making them one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteYour hydrangeas are all beautiful.
-Rene
Hi, Yvonne,
ReplyDeleteI had a bouquet of blue hydrangeas that I just "left" on the table, and not only did they dry, but they still have the vibrant blue color. I was amazed at this.
D
Hydrangeas are so beautiful, my plant died, I so want another so I can dry them and keep them around. Thanks for the tips, lovely photos!!
ReplyDeleteMy Aunt shared a huge bunch of cut hydrangeas last year and she told me how to water dry them - they still look stunning, although they've faded a bit. I should probably move them away from the morning sunlight.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, yet again!!
:)
ButterYum
And here I thought all one did to dry flowers was hang them upside down! Good tips here...and they are so worth saving forever..so pretty! :D
ReplyDeleteLovely post Yvonne. I've never water dried them and they do become very fragile. I'm anxious to try your method.
ReplyDelete- The Tablescaper
Oh if we could grow them in the desert I would have a yard full. I pay a fortune for them faux, but I do love them so much. Yours are just fabulous. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteHi Yvonne - didn't know if you'd see my reply to your comment on my blog or not, so I thought I'd post it here as well.
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:)
ButterYum
I love to bring in some hydrangeas at the end of summer to put in vases! I just don't like all of the dried blooms that fall off but I've never used this method. Thanks for the great tips, Yvonne!
ReplyDeleteI love those beautiful green hydrangeas in the basket!
I love hydrangeas.I just bought a huge bush this year.Soft pretty blue.I adore the green in the basket so pretty.
ReplyDeletehappy week ahead! I grabbed your cinnamon buns recipe I LOVE them lol.
Now I'm going out to the yard to check our withering hydrangeas, long past their prime. I wonder if they could possibly be healthy enough to be dried. We'll see, meanwhile, thanks! Your blog is a w e a l t h of information!!!
ReplyDeleteYour blog is gorgeous,Im a follower where have I been LOL.I will definately have to visit often.Next time I will bring some baklava;)
ReplyDeleteI so love hydrangea...fresh and dried! I usually buy the ones that have been freeze dried. We have a great place here for dried fruit and flowers.
ReplyDeleteYour hydrangea are gorgeous!
Enjoy!
Cathy
Well, I guess my daughter was wrong!-she said she thought I knew everything!!! But-I didn't know this! Thank you-I am going out right now to get my own AnnaBelles off the plant. Diana
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, Yvonne. I have never water dried them before and this seems a better way. The last bunch I dried had a rather flattened look to them when I hung them. I will try it this way next time; thank you.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sandi
Hydrangeas are so beautiful! Thank you for sharing this drying method with us. Lucky you, you have a lush basket of flowers to admire as they dry.
ReplyDeleteBarb
Wonderful insightful Hydrangea drying tutorial Yvonne. They are such magnificent flowers and so wonderful to watch as they change over the months. I love them when they become more muted as you mentioned. A wonderful post, its always such a joy to visit you!!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Thanks for the drying tips. I love to use dried hydrangeas at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI love visiting your blog :)
Donna
Great tutorial! Thanks for the tips. I'm planting some next spring for sure.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I love hydrangeas. Thanks for posting on my blog. My husband had a major stroke (bleeders in his head) on June 14th. He is doing well though.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing these beauties with us Yvonne.. Do you think I could dry crepe myrtle blooms this same way?? I have so many beautiful ones in lilac - pink and white I would be thrilled if I could dry and save some of them.. thank you
ReplyDeleteSonny
Thanks for the tip...I've always just hung mine upside down. Very pretty photos :)
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I do each year! This year I am TRYING to WAIT because I want to be able to use sme of the gorgeous GREEN flowers for the wedding! Praying they stay nice enough for 3 more weeks!!!!! Please cross your fingers for me:):) XO, Pinky
ReplyDeleteYvonne, your hydrangeas are wonderful and huge. I have one plant that only put out three puney blooms. Last year it did not bloom at all. Great tutorial on drying them.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I could have done without the spider...but, it is a good picture and he is colorful:)
ReplyDeleteWe have a hard time with our hydrangeas surviving. We have planted a bush a few times and we get one year and it doesn't come back. We put another new one out this year, such a pretty blue. I need to walk to that side of the house tomorrow and take a look. We've never had one long enough to get big and full of blooms. I would love to have some big dried ones...but, I have to have some big growing ones first!
Wow! That looks lovely. I have not had success in growing hydrangeas yet!! I'm on my second batch!! Great blog!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this today...I have a big bush and would love to dry some..Hydrangeas are my favourite! Hugs. xoxo
ReplyDeleteWow, I just learned so much! Thanks for your tutorials. I look forward to trying this someday. Still working on trying to develop my green thumb.
ReplyDeleteWe have those spiders too and I didn't know what they were called. Their webs are amazing!
ReplyDeleteRhondi
I have one of those spiders every year!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful gardens and I love the ruffled pillows! They remind of the hydrangeas (which are my favorite)!
Manuela
I think about add this material in my RSS. Do u think its ok?
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Дима Литейный
logisticskiev7@yandex.ru
+38 093 318 1567
You have a very good blog that the main thing a lot of interesting and useful!
ReplyDeleteI surely enjoyed the spider photo. I also have a spider in my bathroom between the window and screen.
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What type of hydrangeas give that beautiful green color? I live in Indiana and I have seen white, blue and pink but I can never find that beautiful green color. Thanks so much!
ReplyDelete