7+ tips to follow for drying out hydrangea blooms

Hydrangeas are known for their large, showy, blooms that can change colors based upon the pH of the soil. Many gardeners work hard to make their plants a showpiece of the garden, to bring attention to the gorgeous blooms.
The good news though? Hydrangea blooms don't only need to be enjoyed in the garden or as fresh cut flowers. With these tips, it's easy to dry them down to use in home decor or numerous craft projects.
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1. Determine color desired
Whatever color the blooms are picked as will be the final color after drying. So decide what color you ultimately want the dried flowers to be and wait until your hydrangeas are that color before starting.
2. Look for blooms that are fully open
The best blooms to use are ones that have "aged" a little. This means finding ones that have opened fully and have been on the shrub for a bit. Try to avoid ones that have begun to turn brown though.
3. Cut stem right above node
Dried hydrangea blooms can be made in any length, depending on the project you are going to use them for. After determining how long you want the stem, make a cut just above a node, using clean, sharp pruners. Unsure what a node is? Head on over to Smarty Plants to find out.
4. Choose vase
Your blooms will hang out in a vase to dry, so try to find one that is taller (but not taller than the stems) and fairly narrow. Keep it wide enough though, so the blooms aren't smashed together.
5. Remove leaves from stems
Pull all of the leaves off the hydrangea stems. If you allow them to dry them will crumble and fall apart, making a mess everywhere.
6. Make fresh cut between nodes
After the leaves have been removed, take your pruners and make an angled cut directly in the middle of the 2 bottom-most nodes. Westmount Florist explains the 45-degree cut allows for the most surface area, resulting in greater water uptake, and keeps the stems from sitting on the bottom of the vase.
7. Place flowers in vase
Add about 1" of water to the bottom of the vase and then arrange your blooms in it. You will NOT add any more water during this process, but this little bit is to keep the freshly cut stems from wilting right off the bat.
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8. Wait 2-3 weeks
Now comes the hard part: being patient for a few weeks until the blooms have fully dried down! As mentioned earlier, do not add any extra water during this time. Wait until the blooms have lost all their moisture, remove them from the vase, and use in your project.​