Dry Rose Petals

Poets have spent their lives dreaming about the ethereal beauty of the rose. Roses, however, can also have a practical use--and dried rose petals in particular can be transformed into many wonderful things. They provide an intoxicating fragrance to potpourri and satin sachets, add color to indoor decorations and create romantic confetti for weddings. On top of all that, the process of drying the roses is actually quite simple. See Step 1 to begin.

Steps

Selecting the Petals

1. Choose fresh roses in full bloom. You can harvest flowers that you want to dry at any time during the growing season, but keep in mind that when they are at their biggest and brightest, they will also smell their best. Avoid picking roses that have browning petals--they will become fully brown when they dry.
2. Wait for the perfect time of day to pick your roses. This period of time is after the dew has dried, but before the midday sun has reached its strongest rays. Rose petals with any sort of moisture on them could potentially turn brown when dried because they will begin to rot. The hours before the midday sun are when most roses produce their strongest fragrance.
3. Free the petals from the stems by using scissors to snip around the base of the rose petals. Be sure to cut around the entire flower. You can also pluck the petals by gently pulling each one from the base of the stems.

Drying the Petals

Method One: Air Drying Roses

1. Place the petals on a drying sheet. A mesh screen such as an old window or a flat metal strainer from your kitchen will work well. Make sure that the petals are in a single layer and that none of them are overlapping. If they overlap while they are drying, they will stick together and you will have to break them apart later.
2. Place the petals where they will get a lot of air. The best place to put your petals is on flat surface out of direct sunlight that has good air circulation. Placing petals directly in the sun will cause them to fade so avoid doing this. Avoid putting the petals in a damp area, as moisture in the air could cause them to rot.
3. Turn your petals over several times. Air drying petals generally takes a couple of days. During that time, you should turn your petals over at least once a day. Rotating your petals will ensure that both sides of each petal will get enough air exposure.
4. Remove them from the drying sheet. Only remove the petals after they have become crispy (almost the texture of corn flakes.) If they are not fully dry when you store them, they will begin to get moldy.

Method Two: Using a Microwave

1. Line a microwave safe plate with a double layer of paper towels. Once you have done this, place the petals you would like to dry on the paper towels. Make sure that they are in a single layer without any overlapping petals. The petals will dry together if they are overlapping and will rip if you try to pull them apart.
2. Cover the petals. Once you have laid the petals in a single layer, cover them with another layer of paper towels. Place another plate on top of all of this so that it acts as a lid for the bottom plate.
3. Place this stack of plates in the microwave. Heat on high until the petals are no longer damp to the touch, approximately 40 seconds. Microwave ovens tend to vary, so you may have to experiment to find the correct length of time for drying the rose petals.
4. Test the petals for dryness. After the allotted amount of microwaving time, lift the top plate and layer of paper towels. The petals should feel dry but not crispy. If the petals still feel damp, place them back in the microwave and continue to ‘cook’ them.
5. Remove the petals from the microwave. If you wish to make them crispier, spread the petals onto paper towels arranged on a flat surface. Choose a drying location away from breezes, moisture, light and dust.

Method Three: Using a Dehydrator

1. Place the rose petals in your dehydrator. Make sure they are not overlapping. Depending on the type of dehydrator you use, the drying process could take a couple of hours (like if you use an Excalibur,) or a whole day (if you use a Nesco 600-watt machine.) However long it takes, you house will be filled with the wonderful fragrance of the roses.
2. Set your dehydrator to the lowest possible setting. It is important to set it low because otherwise your roses could burn.
3. Leave the rose petals until they are dry. As stated above, this can take a couple of hours or a whole day. When they are done, they should have a texture similar to corn flakes or very thin potato chips.

Using a book

1. Open the book.
2. Put the petals inside it (make sure they are in a single layer.)
3. Close the book (try not to fold the petals.)
4. Wait about a week or two, and your petals should be dry.

Using and Storing Dried Roses

1. Store dried rose petals in coffee cans, tins, or glass jars. The dried petals can be stored that way for extended periods. Make sure the storage containers seal tightly to prevent insects from entering and eating the petals. Do not store them in direct sunlight.
2. Decide how you want to use your rose petals. The options are endless. Use them in your wedding, create a sensual experience, or add them to potpourri or try one of the following.
3. Add rose petals to your favorite drink. Enhance a rose cocktail, create a festive rose petal punch, or indulge in some refreshing rosewater.
4. Get artsy and add rose petals to your crafts. Create a necklace out of rose petal beads, or make your own unique scent with rose petal perfume.
5. Add some petals to your food. Try Make Rose Petal Sandwiches Get rustic by making your own rose petal jam, or make frosted rose petals to add to a cake.

Tips

• Remember to routinely check the dried rose petals in your storage containers for insects. If you find an infestation, throw out the dry flowers and thoroughly wash the container before you use it again.
• Remember that most flowers tend to darken with drying. Keep this in mind if the dried flowers will be used in decorations with a specific color scheme.
• Collect more rose petals than you will need. That will insure a sufficient supply of eye-appealing petals for your purpose even if some become damaged during the drying process.
• Don't be nervous if your first batch is not perfect. Try again and remember that with practice it gets easier.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh roses with fully-opened blooms
• Scissors
• Microwave-safe plate
• Microwave oven
• Paper towels
• Newspapers or dish towels
• Drying rack
• Dehydrator
• Book
• Storage container with airtight seal

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