Here is my easy method for drying hydrangeas that keep the shape and color of the flowers intact! I’ll also show you ways to use dried hydrangeas to decorate for the Fall.
How to Dry Hydrangeas & Keep the Shape
I’ve tried a few different ways of drying hydrangeas in the past but this was the best and also the easiest method for drying hydrangeas.
A sure sign that Autumn is on the horizon is when your hydrangea blossoms start to change. You’ll notice that the once velvety flowers start taking on a more papery feel and the colors begin to change(my blooms were bright blue before); this is the perfect time to cut some stalks to dry out.
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1. Cut The Hydrangea Flowers From the Shrub
The first thing to do when you want to dry hydrangeas is to find some nice blooms on your shrub and cut them with about 12″ or more of the stalk. This was an exceptional year for my flowers and they seem even prettier than they normally do.
2. Remove the Leaves From the Stems
Next, you want to remove all the leaves from your stems. Just pull them gently off. This will make it easier to work with your dried hydrangea stems later on.
3. Grab a Large Vase or Container
Now, here’s the easiest part- add 2 inches of water to a large vase or container and add your hydrangeas, to it, that’s it!
I place the stalks in the vase with a little space between them so that when they are dry you can remove them easily without breaking the petals. It’s better to spread out the hydrangeas in a couple of vases than to crowd them all into one.
You’ll also want to keep them away from direct sunlight, this part is important for maintaining their colors.
I place the stalks in the vase with a little space between them so that when they are dry you can remove them easily without breaking the petals. It’s better to spread out the hydrangeas in a couple of vases than to crowd them all into one.
Your hydrangeas will hold their shape and color; the ones I did last year have started to fade over the summer.
What I love about the easy method for drying hydrangeas is that it seems to keep the colors more vibrant than the other method of hanging them upside down to dry. This method also keeps the petals open and full when the hydrangea is dried.
What Can I Do With Dried Hydrangeas?
Dried hydrangeas look so pretty combined with traditional Fall decor in your home they also look beautiful displayed on their own! Here are some of the ways I have used hydrangeas that I have dried from my garden throughout my home.
Make a Dried Hydrangea Flower Arrangement
I used a few small bunches of dried hydrangeas and added them to a shallow bowl that I DIY’d out of nautical craft rope.
Use Dried Hydrangeas in a Wreath
Another idea for your dried hydrangeas is to use them in wreaths for Fall. I gathered Fall flowers from my garden and put together a Fall garden wreath and hung it on my front porch,
One really quick and easy wreath I made with dried hydrangeas was this square-shaped one. Using a Dollar Tree square wreath form I hot glued mini pumpkins and hydrangeas around the frame. It took no time at all to make this elegant Fall wreath.
Use Dried Hydrangeas in a Garland
One simple garland idea was draping a fern garland over the top of a mirror and then tucking in pieces of hydrangea throughout the garland for a simple cottage look.
Last Fall I made a very pretty garland to hang in my kitchen. I used a plain magnolia garland as the base and added dried hydrangeas, orange slice & berry picks, & eucalyptus.
*Remember to keep the dried hydrangeas out of direct sunlight, the colors will start to fade quickly.*
Let me know how yours come out!
xo, Jennifer
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Beautiful!! I almost missed my window of harvesting them this year!
Really??? Mine aren’t quite ready on my Endless Summer ones
Oh Jenn
Your hydrangeas are fabulous !!! This has been a very bad year for them on Cape Cod due to a single deep freeze during the winter killing all the buds. There even is a home here referred to as the “hydrangea house “ that got nearly no blooms on their magazine photo shoots in previous years. The only ones that bloomed were white conical shaped. I got ONE pink blossom from dozens of plants. I certainly hope something good happens next year!! Meanwhile, I will enjoy drooling over yours!!!!!
These are great ideas! I definitely need to dry some hydrangeas and try these ideas.
Thank you SOOOOOOO much for the amazing tips!! I was trying to figure what I could do with my Hydrangeas because they have done so well this year and I have an abundance of them! Definitely needed ideas! Thank you again.. mine are white they’re going to be GORGEOUS but next I am hoping to get color out of them and am hoping for your advice there 🙏🏼? Step by step hopefully because I keep seeing that adding coffee grounds is part but when is never specifically stated… I’m curious if it’s before blooms or if before any greenage no specific directions. I love them so much.. so I do hope to hear back from you! Many thanks!!!
If you have white hydrangea flowers, they may turn green or slightly pink as the blossoms age depending on the variety you have. If you don’t like the color or want to add another color or two, you can spray paint the blossoms when they are dry. I’ve used an antique white, apple green, and a rosey pink all with good results…and many times all 3 on the same blossom! 😊
That is such a clever idea Chris!!! Cheryl, the coffee grounds make your soil more acidic and that gets the bright blue hydrangea flowers but if you have a white variety it won’t work. But I love the white ones, in fact there is a house down the street from me with a huge row of white ones and I would love to stop and ask if I can cut some but I’m afraid she would think I was nuts!!
Can I dry stalks of hydrangeas from the grocery? They are in water not dirt.
Help, I want to have dried hydrangeas. Thanks!
Nan, I think the petals are too fresh to dry and will just shrivel up. You need to wait until the petals start to turn papery for it to work.
Your zinnias are spectacular!! We had a ton of hydrangeas this year but sadly the constant sun and brutal heat burned them within a week. Not just limp or dried out but dark brown burn!!! 🙁.. there may be a few blooms on the underpart of the shrubs so I’m making it a point to clip them now and dry them!!! Thank you for the beautiful ideas!!!
That stinks Kathy!! I’m having a horrible year this year too…I have maybe 5 blossoms on my entire row of shrubs!! Thank goodness I had an amazing year last year and still have a basket down in my studio I can use this Fall.
I’ve never tried drying my hydrangea blooms. Thank you for the post. Will it affect my shrub’s blooms next year?
Best regards,
Angie
I’ve never had an issue. I have Endless Summer hydrangeas and cut some of the blooms at the end of every season.