Rose Is The Queen Of Flowers. How To Dry And Preserve Rose Petals?

Do you know how many petals do roses have?

Interesting fact:

There are three types of roses, and each of them has a different number of petals.

How many petals do roses have in simple type? Simple type: one rose has 7 petals

How many petals do roses have semi-double? Semi-double type: from 8 to 20

• How many petals do roses have in terry? Terry type: more than 20 petals

A rose contains from 7 to 20 petals that can be dried and enjoyed at least for a lifetime! Drying applies not only to apricots, peaches, or apples. The petals of the "queen of flowers" can also be preserved in this way. Roses are beautiful, fragrant, and attractive. Their aroma has a beneficial effect on humans. Can you find a girl who does not have a bud dried out between the pages of a book? The finished product is ideal for a relaxing bath after a hard day's work or for making aromatic, delicious tea. Most gourmets prefer to add dried rose petals to salads.

Also, dried roses and their petals can be used in different ways:

• Dried buds and petals look beautiful in applications, paintings, collages, panels, herbariums, as well as in festive garlands.
• Dried flowers and rose petals, filled with epoxy resin, are used to create jewelry: rings, earrings, pendants.
• Dried rose petals are used at home to make a lotion or eau de toilette.
• Dried petals can be used instead of fresh ones to create a romantic setting in the bedroom, bathroom, or jacuzzi.
• They are sprinkled on newlyweds during the wedding ceremony.
• Dried rose petals can be used to make unusual drinks, in addition to pastries, or make jam.

To preserve the ‘flowers’ volume, color, and shape , they must be dried using special methods. Let's find out how to do it correctly and how to store rose petals correctly.

How to dry rose petals?

You can dry rose petals in the same ways as whole buds:

On air.

This drying lasts from 12 to 18 days. At the same time, the petals wrinkle and lose their original color. To dry, cover a flat surface with a sheet of newspaper, and spread the petals evenly on top so that they do not touch each other (otherwise, after drying, it will be difficult to separate them from each other). Cover them with gauze. The dried petals should resemble cornflakes.

How to dry rose petals in the book?

Take 2 sheets and place them in a massive book. Place rose petals between them. They should not touch each other. Place something heavy on top of the book. Dry in this way for about 1 month. The petals dried in this way will be flat, but their color will be almost preserved.

How to dry rose petals in a desiccant?

Pour a small layer of dry sand, silica gel, flour, or semolina into the container. Spread the petals on top so that there is a small space between them. Cover them with another layer of desiccant. If you have more petals, place them on top of the first layer, and so on. After 5 or 14 days (depending on the selected desiccant) check the condition of the petals. If they are tight, dry but do not break, remove them carefully.

How to dry rose petals in the microwave?

Spread the petals over the surface of the plate and microwave them for 2-3 minutes. You can dry them in the usual way within 1 day.

Drying in the oven:

• We install the oven at the lowest temperature, about 60-80 degrees.
• Cover the baking sheet with baking parchment.
• Lay the rose petals on it in a thin layer.
• We put a baking sheet with petals in the oven and dry it for 30 minutes with the door ajar. At the same time, we turn the petals over every 15 minutes.

Air drying

This type of drying will take 7 to 10 days. It all depends on how humid your room is. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Lay out the petals on a wire rack or baking sheet from the oven.
2. We leave them to dry in a shaded place.
3. Approximately every 2-3 days, check the petals and turn them over to dry evenly.

Drying whole roses

You can use not only petals, but also whole roses. To dry roses, do the following:

• We take not fully opened flowers.
• We remove all the leaves on the stems.
• If there are a lot of flowers, we fasten them with an elastic band in several pieces and fasten them to dry with inflorescence down in a dark place.

It will take 2-3 weeks for the roses to dry completely.

How to preserve rose petals at home?

There are many ways to help "extend the life" of the queen of flowers. The best part is that a person does not need to have any special scientific knowledge. By carefully following the instructions, you can save the petals as you want. If an important event takes place within a few days, the petals can be stored in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh there for two or three days, and will not lose their rich, alluring aroma and bright shades.

How to preserve rose petals in the fridge:

Variant 1: You need to prepare a cardboard box in advance. Using a sharp awl, make as many holes as possible in it to provide better ventilation. Then the petals are laid out on the bottom of the box. The layer should not be too dense. The petals must have free access to oxygen. The box is tightly closed with a lid and sent to the refrigerator. You cannot open it until the "big day";

Variant 2: How to preserve rose petals in the fridge? 

Take the simplest plastic bag. You need to carefully lay out a thin layer of wet gauze inside. If you haven’t one, foam rubber will do. The petals are neatly placed in a bag, then put into the refrigerator. They will remain fresh for the next 2-3 days. This method helps to maintain a large volume of petals;

Variant 3: Prepare a plastic container of the required size. A piece of a thin cloth is moistened with water and placed on the bottom of the container. Now you need to collect petals in a container according to the principle of "lasagna." First, a damp cloth is put, then a layer of petals, then another cloth. So continue to the very edge. It is important not to lay too dense layers of petals. Otherwise, this can lead to the onset of the process of suppuration.

Fragrant and fresh petals can be used not only as a decoration for a romantic evening. By mixing them with olive oil (in the same proportion), the hostess will be able to prepare an excellent cosmetic care cream. For best results, keep it in a sealed container for about a week before use.