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Last Updated on August 25, 2021 by cmoarz
Placing flowers or plants in your home is an excellent way to enjoy a romantic fragrance.
Not only do they look beautiful in the house, but they also release a wonderful scent that will proliferate every room of the house.
And if you have a special event and need to preserve rose petals in perfect condition, you should definitely read this article, as we’re going to teach you how to preserve rose petals like a professional!
How to preserve rose petals short-term
Sometimes you just need to keep roses and petals preserved for a day or two. The best way to do this is by simply placing the roses and petals you have in a jar with some water. Just make sure to change out the water every day, so that it doesn’t go bad.
In fact, if your flowers are fresh enough, you can actually enjoy these preserved rose petals for up to a week. So if you have an upcoming event and want flowers for decoration, this is a great way to go about it.
However, sometimes it’s not possible, especially for roses without stems. In that case, You want to place them in a bag (or wrap them in magazine pages) and then place them in the fridge. They will last about as long as normal flowers would.
Some tips to remember when storing rose petals: Place them in a way they won’t be deformed. The best way to do this is by simply allowing them to lay as they are inside a jar filled with water.
Store rose petals in the fridge without squashing them by gently wrapping them in paper or a bag.
They should be stored in a dark place. Don’t place your petals or flowers in direct sunlight as this will cause them to wilt and lose their wonderful fragrance.
How to preserve rose petals long-term
Long-term storage options are much different than short-term storage options.
However, if you need your roses and rose petals for decoration, they will need to be dried out. The best way to do this is by using silica gel packets, which you can find at your local flower shop. You’ll want to place these in the bottom of a box or container, and then place your roses on top.
You may also add another layer of silica on top by taking care not to damage or squash the flower.
Remember you need to be able to take it out in one piece too.
For exact instructions with silica drying method:
- To preserve your dried rose petals, place an inch of silica gel at the bottom of a moisture-proof container. Then, add the petals to this container.
- Add more silica gel until the flowers are completely covered. Seal the jar, and place it out of reach of children or pets. (SILICA WILL POISON ANIMALS AND PEOPLE, PLEASE TAKE CARE)
- To dry flowers properly, the petals should be removed after being allowed to sit for 2-7 days. Larger and more moist petals will require a longer drying time.
Borax Method instruction
Maybe you don’t have access to silica gel, or you don’t want to risk poisoning your pets and children. If that’s the case, don’t worry as you definitely can dry them out with the borax method. Borax is completely harmless in small doses!
This is a simple and easy way to dry your flowers while maintaining their shape and fragrance!
- Sift the borax to remove debris and lumps. After removing all lumps, add sand and mix it with 2 parts borax to 1 part fine sand.
- Line the bottom of your container with half an inch of borax and sand mixture. Then, add the rose petals and cover them completely with more borax and sand. Be gentle to keep the shape.
- It takes 14-17 days for the roses in your open container to dry completely.
How to preserve rose petals with cat litter
To preserve petals in a dry environment, dust-free cat litter will serve as an adequate alternative to silica gel. Layer the container with 1 inch of cat litter and then place the rose petals followed by another half-inch layer of cat litter. Seal the container for 2-7 days before removing it from the set space.
Needless to say, if you have a cat, put the container somewhere where she won’t use it! It’s only natural!
Preserving rose petals in the oven or dehydrator
The dehydrator method is super easy, Just place the petals or full roses on the dehydrating racks in a dehydrator. Run the dehydrator until they are nice and dry.
Remember to let them cool first before deciding if they are finished, as warm will feel dry when they aren’t really.
Drying the roses in the oven. The most efficient method to dry out petals is using an oven. To begin, heat your oven to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and monitor the petals by placing them on parchment paper or a baking sheet for 3 hours.
- To dry the petals, arrange them in a single layer on a sheet pan and make sure they are not touching.
- Place the cookie sheet in the oven, but remember to leave the door open. Otherwise, you could end up cooking them! This should take about 3 hours.
- Leave the tray in a safe place overnight. By morning, there should barely be any moisture on the flowers.
TIP: If you’re not in a hurry, you can place the sheet pan outside overnight. On a breezy day and with temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the sun will do all the work for you!
Seal and save.
You’re finished, now enjoy your dried roses!
Roses are one of the most popular flowers in the world and for good reason. They have a delicate fragrance that’s hard to resist! It turns out there are many different ways you can preserve your roses so they last forever… well until their next watering anyway.
You may opt to dry them with silica gel or cat litter, dehydrate them using an oven or a dehydrator, seal and save them in airtight containers like jars or plastic bags- whatever method is best suited for you and your needs will work just fine.
We hope this article has helped educate you on how to properly dry your roses while preserving their natural beauty and scent!