What if I told you that you could enjoy your hydrangeas in your home for months to come? Well, you can! I’ll show you 3 easy ways to dry your hydrangea blooms for a great addition to your autumn decor.
Hydrangeas are beautiful flowers that make a stunning statement, whether they are in the garden or indoors.
But what I like best about hydrangeas is how their blooms take on an entirely different look towards the end of their growing season as they dramatically change colors.
And it gets better! You can enjoy these gorgeous blooms for months to come when your dry them.
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I personally love hydrangeas more towards the end of the season, when they take on more of a vintage vibe to them. There are so many varieties available and their old-fashioned appearance fits right in with any cottage-style decor.
Timing is Everything
When starting the process of drying your hydrangeas, timing is everything.
If you cut them too soon, they will still be holding too much water and will shrivel up. If the blooms are white, or a bright, vibrant color, they are most likely too soon to cut and dry.
The end of the hydrangea season can range from August to October, depending on your location and the variety of the flower. Here in the Pacific Northwest, I usually harvest hydrangeas in late August and early September.
If you’re cutting hydrangeas with moisture on them it will cause them to wilt and die before they dry. Don’t cut hydrangeas if there is morning dew on them, or if it has rained on them.
The 3 Ways to Dry Hydrangeas
1. Drying Hydrangeas on the Bush
This method allows the hydrangea blooms to continue to grow more intense in color, and become more papery to the touch.
Keep in mind that if left on the bush too long before harvesting, the blooms will eventually turn brown.
When the heads on the flower start to take on a vintage look and have a papery feel to them, they are ready to be cut and brought inside. Be sure to strip off the leaves of the cut stems. This is because the leaves are huge water drinkers, and will steal hydration from the bloom.
2. Drying Hydrangeas in a Vase or Container of Water
This method is a combination of drying naturally on the bush, and then indoors, in a vase with water.
I had a hard time getting my head around this. But I learned that by putting the hydrangeas in water, their color is better preserved.
Add the hydrangeas to a vase or container with 2-3 inches of water.
Make sure that all the stems are completely submerged, and that they are not overcrowding one another. Good circulation is key for the flowers to dry properly.
The goal is to let the water evaporate naturally. If it becomes stagnant, replace it with the same amount of water that was existing in the vase.
As the hydrangeas are drying, keep them out of direct sunlight to help decrease the fading. The process is complete when the heads are dry and stiff.
You can now use them in your decor without water.
When using this method to dry hydrangeas, the colors tend to be more vibrant and the flower is less fragile than drying without water.
3. Drying Hydrangeas Indoors Without Water
Cut the hydrangeas and bring them indoors to let dry.
I tried this last year by tying and hanging them upside down in a cold, dry room. No water is needed if they are almost completely dried out on a bush, but haven’t turned brown yet.
Tip: Experts say that using silica gel is a great way to dry fresh blooms or flowers that have just opened and have not had time to naturally dry on the plant. I haven’t tried this method yet, but hope to this year.
My personal favorite method of drying hydrangeas is option 2.
I’d love to hear what your favorite hydrangea variety is and if you have a personal preference when it comes to drying hydrangeas. Be sure to leave a comment below.
Until next time,
Happy Hydrangea Drying!
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Kim, your extra details regarding just when to cut the stems for drying are very informative. I have had luck with both methods 2 and 3. For #2, I have just been putting the stems in 1 inch of water. Glad to hear you say 2 too 3 inches. This helps knowing I don’t need to be so precise. This year I briefly soaked the entire cutting (flower head and stem) in an insecticidal soap to make sure I was not introducing aphids, mites or other pest to my building where I am drying. I am anxious to see if the quick soak hampers drying.
Love all these lovely hydrangea photos! I waited too long to cut my hydrangeas so they are brown, but I am still going to use them in fall decor. I only have old fashioned Annabelle hydrangeas. I love all your different blooms!
Kim, I am so glad I found you!!!! I’m your neighbor and love gardening blogs that are in my zone! I have several hydrangeas and love to dry them and so excited to see these methods. I have so many questions about all these different types, when to cut, how to cut back etc. This is a huge help. Thanks and so excited to catch up on all your posts, I’m on Henderson Bay just your side of the Purdy Spit. I am fairly new to gardening, I really get such joy out of all your pictures. Thank you for sharing new friend!
Kathy
Hi Kathy! So nice to meet you. I love connecting with neighbors in the area. I really appreciate you following along. If there’s a certain topic you would like to know more about and don’t see here, let me know. I don’t always have the answers but love to get more ideas about what people are wanting on the blog. Have a great holiday weekend!
Great tips and gorgeous photos. I am happy to feature you at TFT today! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for the feature Amber!
I need help with my hydrangeas. They simply don’t bloom! This year, I believe it was because my husband pruned them in the very early spring, and maybe this variety only blooms on old wood? However, even in years when I have left them un-pruned, they just barely flower. They are in an East facing flower bed. The plants look amazing, super green and healthy…just no flowers! I love hydrangeas, they are my favorite!
My hydrangeas seem to bloom heavier on alternate years. THIS is not the year!!!! One year when mine were almost dry, I went out to the bush and s lightly spray painted them gold and copper! It worked well! Easier than trying to find a place to paint them. Some day my sister-in-law across the street is gonna have the men in the little white coats come drop a net on me. Reminds me of Alice in Wonderland where they paiinted the roses red.
That is awesome! Not about this not being the “good” year for your hydrangeas, but the fact that you go out and paint your hydrangeas. Very impressive for sure!
Kim,
Thanks for these great tips! I’ve successfully dried hydrangeas and never knew what I did right. Now I know how to do it correctly every time. Thanks so much!
Rachel.
That’s so funny! I did the same thing last year. It worked, but now I know why!
What an amazing tip! Love decorating with dried hydrangeas!
Yours are so pretty!
Happy day!
KariAnne
Thank you KariAnne! They make quite a statement.
I really want to try this. Since I have a brown thumb, will it work to use the cut hydrangeas from the grocery store? That’s the only place around here where I can get some. Also, how do you keep them from falling apart once they are dried? Do they fall apart/crumble? Thanks! Pinned.
I was actually stumped when you asked about flowers from the grocery store. I even searched the internet and couldn’t find anything on this. What I can say is that hydrangeas do best when drying them after they have begun to fade and turn papery. So if you see those characteristics, then I would at least try. And I would spray hairspray on the hydrangea heads to keep them from crumbling. Thank you for pinning!
I kept waiting on my hydrangeas, because they were so beautiful, but I waited too long. They are brown now. Since brown is a color of fall in the Northeast, I plan to cut them and use their beauty somehow. Next year with your expertise I won’t be so shy. Mine are osk leaf hydrangeas. Thank you for your lovely posts.
Osk should say oak.
Thank you for visiting Kooki! I still have the same problem as well. I just went out to cut more hydrangeas today, and they were too far gone. So sad. I’ll be happy with a 25% success rate! You absolutely can use them in some decor, they’ll look great!
Thank you for sharing Kim, I can’t wait to try this! Next year I’ll have to buy some more plants as I’ve enjoyed their beauty this summer & they’re pretty easy to care for. I keep mine in pots on my deck away from the deer.
I’m just bought a couple more this year, and I’m obsessed! It’s so smart that you are keeping them away from the deer. I have never had any problems with the deer eating them, knock on wood!
Kim,
The hydrangeas and their arrangements are so pretty!! Just so lovely! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and for letting me know that you did by leaving a comment!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Your blog posts make me so happy Debbie. Very enjoyable my friend!
Kim,
I had no idea how easy it is to preserve hydrangeas. Thanks so much for the great tips!
You are most certainly welcome! Hope it works for you!
These blooms are gorgeous!!! You have inspired me to clip some of my hydrangeas tomorrow, and bring inside to dry.
That makes me so happy Emily! I love how they look right now!
These are all such beautiful hydrangeas! I love to go to Washington and see them blooming!
Thank you Danielle! They are so incredible this time of year.