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HOW TO DRY HYDRANGEAS THE EASY WAY

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dried green hydrangeas in urns

Now is the time to think about drying hydrangeas! I have lots of hydrangeas bushes at StoneGable. So over the years, I have perfected the drying method! It’s easy to preserve hydrangeas for a year of beauty!

Hydrangeas are a gardener’s delight. They provide a huge punch of color and panache all summer long!

But don’t give up on them at the end of the summer! That’s when they take on another look and almost another life! I think these hydrangeas have the most beautiful look!

Graceful and lush, hydrangeas are bursting with big blooms of color and fluff!  If dried correctly they also offer year-round enjoyment!

white dried hydrangeas in a mercury glass footed bowl with a tiny white pumpkin on top

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT DRYING HYDRANGEAS

It’s all about the timing!

Hydrangeas can be harvested from August to October depending on your location and variety of the plant.  

Do not pick hydrangeas for drying that have freshly bloomed, or after a rain or in the morning when dew is still on them. There is too much moisture in them and they will begin to wilt and die before they dry.

THREE EASY WAYS TO DRY BLOOMS

DRYING ON THE BUSH

Hydrangeas on a bush dry naturally. The being to turn a different color and their blooms become papery. They can be left on a bush to naturally dry, but if left too long they will eventually turn brown.

BRINGING HYDRANGEAS INDOORS TO DRY

This method combines letting your blooms dry naturally to a point and then bringing them in to finish drying inside.

Here’s how you can know when to bring hydrangeas indoors to dry…

  • they will begin to have sepia edges and take on a vintage look
  • blooms take on a color you love
  • the florets will feel papery because their blooms are losing moisture
  • they begin to take on a saturated color or change in color
  • cup your hand and touch the flowers to see if they feel a little stiff

When your hydrangeas have dried enough on their bush cut them and strip all the leave off the stems. 

Now, here’s where it gets a little tricky. You have to judge how much moisture is left in the blooms.

If you have picked hydrangeas when they turn a color you love and feel somewhat papery you may need to arrange them in a container covering the stems with water.

Fill a vase with two inches of water and add the hydrangeas. Make sure all the stems of the hydrangeas are submerged.    Keep an eye on the blooms and water.

The blooms will continue to dry. If the water starts to get stagnant, you will smell it, so replace it to the same water line. The goal is to let the water evaporate naturally.   

Keep hydrangeas away from sunlight so they don’t bleach out.   When the heads are dry and crisp they are ready! They can be used to decorate and do not need any water!  

Drying hydrangeas using this method will keep the color more vibrant and the heads less fragile than air drying.  

DRYING THEM INDOORS WITHOUT WATER

You can bring hydrangeas in and let them dry without putting them in water as long as they have almost completely dried on a bush but not to the point they turn brown.

My drying method of choice is to put them in a little water and let the water evaporate.

You might also like…

blue hydrangeas in a blue and white ginger jar
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Comments

  1. love, love, love hydrangeas!! the ultimate summer flower 🙂 years ago i read an article about drying hydrangeas, using glycerin, water and a fan. i don’t remember what the actual proportions of glycerin to water were (i think i put several drops in a couple of inches of water) and put a table fan on the lowest setting facing the flowers, away from sun. within a week or so, the blooms should be dry, and the petals aren’t quite as brittle-because of the glycerin. worth a try!! thank you Yvonne, I so enjoy your blog!!

    Reply

  3. I have always adored hydrangeas, on the bush, off the the bush, fresh, dried any which way! I have tried both methods for drying-upside down and the water method above and both seem to produce gorgeous beautiful dried flowers. One question, I ‘d love to preserve even further, just curious is a light coating of a matte spray of sort would help extend their preservation?

    Reply

  4. Will I have great results drying cut hydrangeas using your guidelines if my only source is from the supermarket? Thank you!

    Reply

  5. I’ve never tried this water method. The first time I dried some using the hanging upside down method, it worked great. The next time I tried, the hydrangeas shriveled up to a brown mess, and I had to throw them away. So I’m excited to give your method a try!

    Reply

  6. Very cool! I will be watching my pink hydrangea plant for the perfect time to pick and dry!! Thank you! Can’t wait!!

    Reply

  7. You are, indeed, a woman of stout heart! I would scream and faint dead away if I encountered one of your spiders! Thanks for the great tips on drying hydrangeas. I bought one this spring but don’t know exactly where to plant it. Do they like a sunny exposure?

    Reply

  8. My hydrangeas were too young to produce much this year but my step-daughter brought me a beautiful bouquet that I’m going to try to dry! Thanks for the “how to”!!!!

    Reply

  9. Read this at just the right time. My hydrangeas are ready to dry. I can hardly wait until in the morning to get outside. Thanks for the great advice.

    Reply

  10. I’m pinning this for future use. I won’t need it this year because I didn’t get any flowers this year 🙁

    Reply

  11. Good morning Yvonne: It has been so hot here on the coast of NC (Southport) this summer that I have not been outside much to see my hydrangeas. This morning I noticed they have wonderful blooms on them and will be perfect for drying. Thank you for the tip on drying hydrangeas….I will definitely be waiting for them to take on the paper feel before cutting.

    Reply

  12. Glad to learn how to dry and preserve the flowers. We planted some small ones this year and hope that we will be able to harvest blooms in the future! ~Ginny~

    Reply

  13. Hydrangeas are my favourite shrub! I just mived and have planted five shrubs and couldn’t resist bringing home a beautiful hydrangea tree! Couldn’t leave it at the nursery! It was coming hme with me! Love drying them for bouquets in baskets and vases around my home! Love your home and blog!
    God bless!

    Reply

  14. The only method of drying hydrangeas that I’ve been familiar with in the past is the upside down method. It looks as if my blooms are ready now, and I’m excited to try the water method you’ve shown in this blog, Yvonne. I’ve read that hydrangeas can be poisonous cats, so I’ve avoided bringing them inside. But hopefully that’s not the case with dried blossoms. Does anyone have any info about this?

    Reply

  15. My hydrangeas are about gone so I hope I’ve not waited too late. Does this work for the limelight ones that don’t hold up too well after they are cut?

    Reply

  16. Timing is indeed crucial. I have been picking and selling dried hydrangea for over 15 years. THE most important thing is the tiny center of the flowerlet. It must be dried and brown. That will tell you that the head is ready. Cut, strip leaves and hang, preferably in a warm, dry place. As so often happens here in the Pacific Northwest, by the time the flowers are ready to cut, we have already had cold and wet weather. Hydrangeas are very sturdy. I strip them, give them a good shake to disperse the water, then bundle and hang in my garage with a dehumidifier on. They are ready in 3-7 days depending on the environment they are put in. You will be much more certain to get good results than in placing them in a container to “air dry”. While that does work, it is much more hit and miss. Whatever the plan, hydrangeas are the loveliest of flowers! You can enjoy them for years dried if you treat them well!

    Reply

  18. What type of hydrangeas give that beautiful green color? I live in Indiana and I have seen white, blue and pink but I can never find that beautiful green color. Thanks so much!

    Reply

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  34. Okay, I could have done without the spider…but, it is a good picture and he is colorful:)

    We have a hard time with our hydrangeas surviving. We have planted a bush a few times and we get one year and it doesn’t come back. We put another new one out this year, such a pretty blue. I need to walk to that side of the house tomorrow and take a look. We’ve never had one long enough to get big and full of blooms. I would love to have some big dried ones…but, I have to have some big growing ones first!

    Reply

  36. This is exactly what I do each year! This year I am TRYING to WAIT because I want to be able to use sme of the gorgeous GREEN flowers for the wedding! Praying they stay nice enough for 3 more weeks!!!!! Please cross your fingers for me:):) XO, Pinky

    Reply

    • @Pinky – if this is of any help to you re the wedding, if my hydrangeas become too faded or too dark of a brown, I spray paint them a very soft green or blue. They look great!

      Reply

  38. thank you for sharing these beauties with us Yvonne.. Do you think I could dry crepe myrtle blooms this same way?? I have so many beautiful ones in lilac – pink and white I would be thrilled if I could dry and save some of them.. thank you

    Sonny

    Reply

  39. Great tips! I love hydrangeas. Thanks for posting on my blog. My husband had a major stroke (bleeders in his head) on June 14th. He is doing well though.

    Reply

  42. Wonderful insightful Hydrangea drying tutorial Yvonne. They are such magnificent flowers and so wonderful to watch as they change over the months. I love them when they become more muted as you mentioned. A wonderful post, its always such a joy to visit you!!
    xoxo

    Reply

  44. Great tips, Yvonne. I have never water dried them before and this seems a better way. The last bunch I dried had a rather flattened look to them when I hung them. I will try it this way next time; thank you.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

    Reply

  45. Well, I guess my daughter was wrong!-she said she thought I knew everything!!! But-I didn’t know this! Thank you-I am going out right now to get my own AnnaBelles off the plant. Diana

    Reply

  46. I so love hydrangea…fresh and dried! I usually buy the ones that have been freeze dried. We have a great place here for dried fruit and flowers.

    Your hydrangea are gorgeous!

    Enjoy!
    Cathy

    Reply

  47. Your blog is gorgeous,Im a follower where have I been LOL.I will definately have to visit often.Next time I will bring some baklava;)

    Reply

  48. Now I’m going out to the yard to check our withering hydrangeas, long past their prime. I wonder if they could possibly be healthy enough to be dried. We’ll see, meanwhile, thanks! Your blog is a w e a l t h of information!!!

    Reply

  49. I love hydrangeas.I just bought a huge bush this year.Soft pretty blue.I adore the green in the basket so pretty.

    happy week ahead! I grabbed your cinnamon buns recipe I LOVE them lol.

    Reply

  50. I love to bring in some hydrangeas at the end of summer to put in vases! I just don’t like all of the dried blooms that fall off but I’ve never used this method. Thanks for the great tips, Yvonne!

    I love those beautiful green hydrangeas in the basket!

    Reply

    • @Savoring Time, I’ve tried both methods: with an inch of water and without and my hydrangea still made a mess but if I spray them with a cheap hairspray, it works wonders as it shellacs (holds) the dried papery petals together. I take time to spray the undersides as well. As Yvonne said, timing is everything. I didn’t know that a few years back and would attempt to dry them like roses; i.e. hung upside down but with moisture still in the stems/blooms and would be SO disappointed to see the petals shrivel up. I know better now. I have a mammoth bush out front but none of the heads have dried or turned color yet (southern Ontario). I think it’ll be another month’s wait yet. By the way, the hairspray gives a slight shine to the petals which emphasizes the variety of colors.

      Reply

  51. Hi Yvonne – didn’t know if you’d see my reply to your comment on my blog or not, so I thought I’d post it here as well.

    RE the oven roasted tomato stuff – I hope you like it. I served it on pasta for lunch yesterday (thinned with a bit of milk). One of the kids rated it, and I quote, “18 stars!”. I guess it’s a keeper. My only caution is to use it sparingly – the flavor is intense – very garlicy!

    🙂
    ButterYum

    Reply

  55. My Aunt shared a huge bunch of cut hydrangeas last year and she told me how to water dry them – they still look stunning, although they’ve faded a bit. I should probably move them away from the morning sunlight.

    Great post, yet again!!

    🙂
    ButterYum

    Reply

  57. Hi, Yvonne,
    I had a bouquet of blue hydrangeas that I just “left” on the table, and not only did they dry, but they still have the vibrant blue color. I was amazed at this.
    D

    Reply

  58. You are so right about the timing. Many of my Annabelles were dry last month. They hold their color for a year or more making them one of my favorites.

    Your hydrangeas are all beautiful.

    -Rene

    Reply

  59. Good tips Yvonne. I wait for the “leathery” feel and then just use an inch or so of water. I am drying most of mine now, they seem to be “ready” early this year, maybe because of all the heat we have had this summer. I am so ready for fall and cooler temps!

    Reply