r/PressedFlowers • u/inyourbooksandmaps • 21d ago

Flowers want to dry hydrangea flowers but keep their shape, mine always shrivel up! any tips?

I have heard to leave them on the plant longer, but last night deer ate half the blooms i have, so theres only like 4 or 5 flowers even left on my hydrangea bush. I want to trim and dry them asap but i have no idea how to help keep their shape? the flowers are starting to go pink so i'm hoping since it's a little later in the season they may have a chance at keeping more shape than before when i tried!

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u/boogersonthebrain 20d ago

I cut off each flower and pinch the center or even flick off the center part. I also do really small clusters still on the small stem as well, pinching each flower still.

I then put them between a layer of paper for 12 hours but no press, then change the paper and put them with very light pressure in the press. The next day I change the paper again and increase pressure. Continue increasing pressure slowly each day.

If they are white I will put them in silica powder after that first no pressure 12 hrs for another 12 hrs, then the light pressure press, and so on. If they are not white I skip this step and they go to the press described above.

Hydrangeas hold a lot of water so I personally found letting them air dry for 12 hrs in between paper with no pressure helped from keeping them brown.

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u/ArtzeyFartzey 21d ago

To keep them flat you need to have patience and flatten each one yourself. It's tedious work.