How to Dry Peonies
Peonies are beautiful in the garden, but unfortunately, for flower lovers, their blooming season is all too fleeting. You can enjoy these delightful blossoms all year, however, by preserving your flowers with a drying process.
First of all, it’s important to select the right blooms for drying, no matter which preservation method you choose. Select flowers that have newly bloomed, when the petals are just beginning to exhibit their color. Choose the most perfect specimens you can find – ones without blemishes or signs of disease or insect infestation. Cut the blossoms with sharp scissors or shears, trying not to crush or damage the stems. Leave about six inches of stem on each flower for air drying, and remove any leaves. For other drying methods, it’s best to remove the stem and to dry the flower heads only. Make sure the flowers are free of dew before using a drying process.
Peony Petals
The easiest way to preserve your peonies is by air drying them. Simply gather five or six peonies into a bunch, and secure the bunch with a wide rubber band or by tying twine around the stems. Hang the bunches upside down so that air can get to all sides of the flowers. You might want to suspend them from a beam or from a clothes hanger. Allow them to dry in a dark place to maintain good color. You also need to choose a place that’s low in moisture. Hanging the flowers in a basement is just asking for mold. Depending on the humidity level of their drying place, the peonies will take from one to four weeks to completely dry.
By drying your peonies in silica gel, more natural color will be maintained than from air drying. Silica gel closely resembles coarse salt, and it’s very absorbent. You can find it at most any craft store. Place about three inches of the gel in a plastic container that has a sealable lid. Place your peonies, face up, in the gel. Don’t let the flowers touch each other. Carefully add more silica gel to the container until the flowers are completely covered. The gel has to get to all sections of the blossom, so you’ll need to GENTLY shake the container from side to side to shift the gel around. Place the lid on and allow the blooms to dry. It takes an average peony two or three days to dry in silica gel.
Another method for silica gel-drying involves the microwave. Place three inches of the gel in a deep plastic or glass container. Each flower head should have its own little “nest” in the granules and should be supported by the silica gel. Place the container of flowers in the microwave, along with a cup of plain water. Set the water in the corner of the microwave. Microwave drying times vary widely. Check your blooms after two minutes. Once the flowers have dried completely, remove the container from the microwave, place the lid on, and allow the flowers and the gel to cool for several hours before removing the flowers.
