This post has affiliate/referral links. Learn more.
Who doesn’t love getting flowers? Flowers often come with memories that you’ll want to preserve.
You will want to know how to preserve the flowers you get from a special person or special occasion. Or perhaps you’ve come across gorgeous blooms that will look pretty in an apothecary jar.
If you want to preserve fresh flowers, use silica for flower drying. This easy method will preserve the color and detail of the flowers for your DIY craft project.
Read on for the different ways on how to preserve flowers in a jar.
Knowing how to preserve flowers from good memories like a birthday or a beautiful bouquet from your best friend. Birthday and wedding bouquets are often preserved and displaying them in a jar is a wonderful method.
In the section below, find the guide for the different ways to keep flowers in a jar that will last a long time: drying methods and liquid methods.
How to Preserve Flowers in a Jar
Step 1: Pick the flowers you want to preserve
First, you will need to select the flowers. Flowers that are fully bloomed will make a great display. You can also arrange them in contrast with small buds, or at different stages of bloom.
Have sharp pruning shears to cut the flower stems.
Choose a time when you want to pick the flowers. It is a good idea to choose a dry day instead of humid weather.
Step 2: Choose a glass jar for the flowers
To preserve the flowers, you will want a jar made of glass. You can choose decorative jars like apothecary jars or mason jars.
Make sure the glass is transparent to put the focus on the flower arrangement.
If you have reusable jam or jelly jars, you can use those, too!
A snow globe is another cute idea to place preserved flowers.
Step 3: Preserve the flowers
There are a few ways to preserve the flowers.
Method 1: Flower drying with craft silica
This is a method that will preserve the amazing details of your flowers. You won’t get the typical dried potpourri look. You will instead get the color and petal shape preserved, too.
In a bowl, pour the silica crystals into the bottom. Place the flower on it and cover the flower completely with silica crystals.
Check on the flower in a week to see if it’s completely dry. If not, leave it buried in the silica crystals for a few more days.
These silica gel crystals are also color-changing crystals that make it easy for you to reuse them to dry more flower batches. Simply dry them in the sun or the oven so they can be re-used again.
Method 2: Naturally drying the flowers
This is my favorite method because it lets me enjoy the bouquet.
Change the water daily or as usual, until the flowers start to wilt.
Then take sharp garden shears to cut them to your desired length. Observe for any rotted parts and cut those away, too.
Leave the flowers out to dry completely for a week. You can display them on a single-layer plate.
Once they’re completely dry, they are ready to be in the jar.
Optionally, use dry hairspray to spray a layer on the dried flowers. This helps preserve the dried flowers.
Method 3: Upside-down method
For this process, separate the flowers into three bundles.
Then tie them together with ribbon or twine.
Choose a room with ventilation and where the flowers won’t get direct sunlight.
Hang the flowers upside-down and let them dry for about two weeks.
Once they’re completely dry, use hairspray to help preserve the dried flowers.
If you want to preserve hydrangeas, you can choose the water method.
Keep the hydrangeas in a vase with 1 or 2 inches of water. Keep the flowers in the vase without refilling the water and let the water evaporate. After 2-3 weeks, the hydrangea flowers will feel dry to the touch.
Step 4: Use florist foam or sand as the base
You can choose to use a base to stick the flowers in. Alternatively, you can also choose to place the flowers in the jar loosely.
One idea is to use florist foam to stick the flower stems in. The florist foam will hold the flowers in place. Then cover the foam with decorative sand.
First, cut the florist foam to match the jar. Measure the bottom part of the jar and cut the floral foam to fit into the jar.
Now, you will need to push the flower stem into the florist foam. Pre-poke a small hole with a needle or chopstick if the stems are prone to breakage. Work with one flower at a time.
Step 5: Optionally, glue the florist foam to the bottom of the jar
You can use a hot glue gun to attach the florist foam to the bottom of the jar.
If you’re working with a snow globe, use hot glue or wood glue to attach the flower to the base.
Place the flowers carefully so as to not cause damage to the dried petals.
That is how you can preserve flowers in a glass jar.
Preserving flowers in a jar is easy with the right drying techniques. The process will require patience as the drying time can take 1-3 weeks, and a careful hand while arranging it into the decorative jar.
How Do You Preserve Rose Petals in A Jar?
To preserve rose petals in a jar, start with fresh roses.
If you want to preserve roses that have dried already, the petals will fall off easily.
Cut off the stem and get the petals off one by one.
Place a paper towel down and put the rose petals on the towel.
Let the petals dry for a few days. If you would like to skip the chemicals, they are good to go once they’re dried completely.
If they are still soft and not completely dry, the moisture will cause the petals to rot while in storage. Wait a few more days for the petals to dry up.
Optionally, you can use hairspray to keep them preserved for longer.
Once dry, you can place them in a jar.
That is how you will be able to preserve flowers. Once you are done, you will have a beautiful jar full of preserved flowers. You can use this as a showpiece on a table. It’s also a creative way to preserve the kind thoughts of a special person or a special occasion.
Related:
How to Preserve a Rose in a Jar
How to Grow Vanilla Bean
Have you ever used the silica gel on roses and if so how did they come out? Thank you