If you are from the South, you need to be familiar with hydrangeas if you are not already. We are having a banner year in our part of North Carolina for hydrangeas. Let’s dive into a seasonal garden hack to prolong the blooms. People have dried these beautiful hydrangea blooms for years to preserve their summer beauty in the fall and winter seasons. What a perfect idea for this year with bountiful hydrangea blooms.

You may have tried to dry these blooms before but left with little more than dead flowers. It is simple, but you must do it right.

Method #1—Cut your blooms and place them in a vase. Let the water evaporate from the vase, and the blooms dry naturally. When they are completely dry, remove them from the vase and lightly spray them with hairspray or clear acrylic. Some of the natural colors may be accented with floral spray paint, which can be used to lightly mist the petals to add a hint of more vibrant color.

Method #2—cut the blooms from your plant, tie them in small bunches, and hang them upside down in a cool, dry, dark place until thoroughly dried. This method will preserve some pink colors. Blues sometimes do not dry to their actual color, but the fix to the problem is using floral-tinted paint.

Method #3: Let the flowers dry naturally on the plant. However, the weather can be a significant factor. If you don’t cut the blooms in time, weather like heavy rain or wind could damage them.

As stated before, Whites and pinks will retain some of their natural pink or burgundy hues, whereas blues and purples may not retain their colors, so floral paints are a good option. Any spray paint can be used; however, floral paints are more subtle and offer softer color options.

We aim to provide you with the knowledge and confidence to successfully dry these beautiful summer blooms and extend summer’s beauty in changing seasons.