Year round dahlias?? Yes please, I hear you say!
As September moves away from us, we find ourselves in the clutches of autumn. I’ll be completely honest with you, as a spring-favourite-season-voter, the approach of autumn gives me a shudder. It’s a long old time until we’re blessed with frolicking lambs, primroses, magnolias, blossom and the promise of months of beautiful blooms and colour ahead of us. BUT, we are in dahlia season and the vast array of colours and different forms they grant us is hard to beat in the botanical world. The blooms of these beauties will keep us going late into October AND throughout the rest of the year, if, like me, you’re drying them or pressing them. Hurrah!
I am someone who needs colour and botanical beauty in my life throughout the year and I suppose I’m on some sort of crusade to provide that for myself and for others but not at the cost of the planet.
There are so many varieties of dahlias to experiment with when pressing or drying and it really is a matter of trial and error with patience as a necessary side plate to the main course. I have tried just a fraction of them so far with varying results but I’ve actually really enjoyed seeing the outcome from each one. The bolshy showiness of the dahlia takes on a new being once dried. Even if the intense colour remains it becomes more subtle and humble with a shroud of delicacy wrapped around it.
The air drying technique I use has two variations really depending on how you want the flower head to fall.
1. The first important step is to cut your dahlias at the right time. Timing can make all the difference. I find the flowers that are just about to reach peak bloom are the best candidates for drying. They give a much more stable dry flower. If a flower is picked past it’s best, as a dry flower it will likely lose it’s petals rather easily. Also, if drying or pressing dahlias then it’s always best to pick them in dry weather.
2. Remove all leaves and small buds from the stems.
3. When drying other flowers, I often bunch them together but because of the structural nature of the dahlia, I like to give them their own space so they don’t become mis-shaped if pressed up against another. You don’t want a beautiful blousy café au lait flat on one side! When hanging upside down using a coat hanger with any elastic bands you have lying around or purchase some string/twine to avoid plastic usage. Another way to hang upside down is to make use of a clothes airer. Be creative. Whatever works for you really.
4. The other option is with air drying dahlias is to keep them upright which allows the petals to fall away from the centre, opening it up more. I wouldn’t say one way is better than the other. It really is personal choice and the sort of look you’re going for. Also of course, it can depend on the variety as well. The single-flowers dahlias I would tend to dry upright to keep the flowers open so you can see that lovely (usually yellow) in the middle. A wire box/basket works well or if you have rows and rows of hanging dried flowers like me, you can wedge the dahlia stem in the dried stems of the hanging flowers. I make use of any space that I have and this means taking up less surface space. I’ve even been known to use the top of radiators for those with no stems and before the heating goes on!
5. Make sure that all drying occurs in a cool to warm, dry space away from direct sunlight.
If you want to give flower pressing a go then dahlias will give you a fantastic first result. I would suggest starting with the smaller, less fat flowers so to give you a better success rate. The fatter ones can be dried BUT there is more chance of browning as there is more moisture in the flowers which can be problematic.
Photos of my own will be added here and on to my instagram @littleflourishcompany when the little pieces of floral heaven are ready!
Now go and enjoy!!
Love,
Naomi xxx
