Hot take: silica gel is overrated for drying flowers, I ruined a whole batch of hydrangeas last week using it

The directions said leave them in for 3 days but after 36 hours the petals were so brittle they crumbled when I touched them, has anyone else switched back to just hanging them upside down in a dark closet instead?

2 comments

2 Comments

drew_palmer835d ago

Did you use the fine grain stuff or the chunky kind... that might be the problem?

angelaellis5d ago

Actually, silica gel works great if you use the right technique - sounds like you left the hydrangeas in way too long for that variety. Different flower types need different timings, and hydrangeas can be tricky because they hold a lot of moisture compared to something like roses or lavender. Next time try checking them after 12 hours instead of just following the package directions.