Drying and Preserving Flowers with Silica Gel

From wedding bouquets to prom corsages, anniversary roses to congratulatory bouquets, people often want to preserve their flowers. Hanging the flowers to air dry is a popular method, but it can be unreliable and doesn't always yield the best results.

Drying flowers with Silica Gel results in more vibrant colors and better preserved shapes than air drying. Silica Gel is a highly absorbent material that is used to remove moisture from the air in enclosed spaces. Typically, Silica Gel is found packaged in small white packets found with products like electronics and vitamins. Flower Drying Crystals, made by Absorbent Industries and found online at www.SilicaGelPackets.com, are loose Silica Gel beads. Surrounding a flower with the Flower Drying Crystals removes the moisture from it much faster than air drying can. This results in more vibrant colors and better preservation of flower shape. Using the Flower Drying Crystals also minimizes the possibility of mold growing on the flowers during the drying process, which is common with air drying. Mixed in with the white Silica Gel beads are orange Indicating beads. These beads will turn green as they become saturated, indicating when the Silica Gel needs to be reactivated. It is easy to great results with Flower Drying Crystals!

Steps:
1. Select a container, the container should:
- Be either glass or plastic
- Have an air tight lid
- Be large enough to accommodate the flowers being dried
2. Put a layer of Flower Drying Crystals in the bottom of the container
- The layer should be 1 - 2 inches, depending on the size of the flower(s)
- The Flower Drying Crystals should be spread evenly across the bottom of the container
3. Place the flower(s) on the Flower Drying Crystals
- Flowers should be placed face up
- If there are several different types of flowers, they should be dried in separate containers as different petal thicknesses will require different drying times
4. Gently cover the flower(s) with the remaining Flower Drying Crystals
- Pour the Flower Drying Crystals in along the side of the container then gently shake it to spread them around
- Carefully place Flower Drying Crystals on top of any exposed petal surfaces
5. Place the lid on the container and let it sit until drying is complete
-  Make sure the lid is on tight, the Flower Drying Crystals will absorb moisture from the outside air which can slow the drying process
- Drying may take up to a week, depending on the flower(s)
6. Once dry, carefully remove the Flower Drying Crystals from the flower(s) and take the flower(s) out of the container

- Slowly pour the Flower Drying Crystals into another container

- Use a clean water color brush to remove remaining crystals from between the petals

7. Enjoy!

Not only do Flower Drying Crystals give you beautifully dried flowers, they are also reusable. Place the crystals in an oven safe pan and heat for 60 minutes at 250°. Let them cool briefly and then store them in an air tight container to use again. The Indicating beads, which may have changed color during the flower drying process, will turn back to orange when heated in the oven.

Examples of Good Flower Choices for Drying with Flower Drying Crystals:
Azaleas
Daisies
Dogwood
Freesia
Lavender
Lilly of the Valley
Marigolds
Orchids
Pansies
Queen Anne's Lace
Roses
Zinnias