Alan Titchmarsh shows off his hydrangeas
Hydrangea are beautiful flowers that blossom during the summer but unfortunately begin to die off and go brown during the cooler autumn weather.
However, gardeners can still keep them looking beautiful by learning how to dry hydrangeas, as now in September until October is the perfect time to try this gardening method to both your home and garden look incredible at this time of the year.
Vas Karpetas is a gardening expert who specialises in hydrangeas and has said now is the time to dry hydrangeas as they will begin to go green at the end of summer.
Hydrangea flowers tend to turn green in the late summer and early autumn due to receiving less sunlight. Less light means there is less energy for the hydrangea to blossom into its usual colourful display of blue, pink or white.
In an online video, Vas said: “If your hydrangeas are going green and if they are papery to touch…they are ready to be dried and be displayed for the whole of winter.”
READ MORE: Katie Couric shares how hammer can help Hydrangea blooms ‘last’ longer
How to cut hydrangeas for drying
It is natural for hydrangea to go green at this time of the year and the flowers will eventually brown and die off in the winter season. Putting hydrangea in intense sunlight will not help the plant, and doing so will simply damage it or cause it to not flower next year.
Drying flowers is a fantastic way to brighten up your home during the colder seasons and will also help keep some summer blossoms preserved for a little bit longer.
In order to dry the hydrangea, Vas explained that the hydrangea stem length should be cut to about three leaf nodes.
Vas then said: “Snip all the leaves off and repeat to collect as many hydrangeas as you can.”
However, Vas warned that hydrangea should only be cut in the late summer and early autumn when they are green and papery. Cutting hydrangea later when they are brown means they will not preserve or survive in your home.
He said: “Be careful that they are all green instead of brown and they will be ready for you to dry them.
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@myformalgarden Yes its that time of year when your Hydrangea Annabelle’s are going green you can now start drying them for your home or even give to your friends. #garden #gardening #flowers #flowers #flowers #gardener #tutorial #hydrangeaannabelle #nature #gardenlife #hydrangea #home ♬ original sound – Vas
How to dry hydrangeas
For the next step, bring the cut hydrangea into your home and place it in a vase with a small amount of water.
Vas said: “Add a little bit of water, not too much. When your hydrangeas are in the vase so you’ve got that little bit of water, let the hydrangea drink the water and you will have your indoor display.”
Keeping some water in the hydrangea vase will still dry them out, but the water helps preserve its colour. Hydrangea cuttings should not be submerged in water or be overcrowded in the vase, otherwise, they will not dry out properly.
Place your vase in an area where they can be properly displayed and appreciated, but make sure they are kept out of direct sunlight. Allow the water to evaporate naturally and the hydrangea should dry out within two weeks, but you can add more water if the hydrangea are not completely dried.
Dried hydrangea can last up to a year, and will be ready when the petals feel stiff and the stem snaps off easily. They are the perfect autumn decoration for your home and can even be secured to wreaths for the upcoming holidays, giving you a natural Christmas decoration.
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