6 Ways to Dry Rose Petals at Home With Ease

Rose, a perennial plant that flowers, is available in more than 300 species and is known due to its distinct scent and color.

Rose petals incorporate phytonutrients in an abundance along with antioxidant properties and Calcium.

Moreover, they are an excellent source of three essential Vitamins: A, B, and C.

You can make up ur very own potpourri with dried rose petals and even combine them with several herbs. One of the easiest ways to use rose petals for aromatherapy is to dry them.

But, with so many alternatives available, how to proceed with the right method? Don’t worry; we’ve used our knowledge and research to create a list of six simple ways for drying rose petals.

Before you Proceed with Drying the Rose Petals

Begin by plucking the outermost petals from the base with a swift motion. Likewise, use scissors to snip the petals as close to the base as possible.

When drying, make sure your petals are uniformly spaced with 1cm spacing to avoid touching, as layered rose petals will stick together and rot.

How to Dry Rose Petals Using a Book

Dry Rose Petals Using Sun-drying

If you wish to dry your rose petals naturally, you can do so with an abundance of sunlight. This is the simplest and quickest way to dry Rosemary petals and it’s quite efficient as well.

Pick your Roses

Make use of the biggest and brightest roses for this method. Make sure you don’t proceed with roses that have brown petals because they will dry entirely brown.

Remove the Petals

Using scissors, snip around the base of the rose petals to separate the petals from the stems.

Be sure to cut around the vine. You may also pluck the petals by removing them gently from the stems’ base.

Arrange the Rose Petals

Place the petals on the net sheet. You may also use a tray. To keep bugs at bay, cover the net sheet or tray with the net.

Make sure the rose petals are not kept over one another and have a bit of distance between each to evenly dry. This will also help with proper air circulation throughout the process.

You can refer to how Pam does it here:

Dry the Rose Petals

Enable the tray/net sheet to dry in the sunlight. It will take approximately 30 minutes to dry thoroughly.

When the rose petals are dried, they should resemble corn flakes or very thin potato chips in texture.

Dry Rose Petals Using Air-drying

You can simply air-dry your rose petals by bunch hanging them. You can dry your entire rose as well with this method within just a week or two.

Pick your Roses

Make sure you don’t proceed with roses that have brown petals because they will dry entirely brown.

Remove the Petals

Using scissors, snip around the base of the rose petals to separate the petals from the stems.

Be sure to cut around the vine. You may also pluck the petals by removing them gently from the stems’ base.

If you want to dry the whole rose, remove a few petals first and pluck off the leaves.

Set the Tray

Tissues should be placed on the table or tray.

Arrange the Rose Petals

The rose petals should be lined up in a single layer. Make sure the rose petals are not kept over one another and have a bit of distance between each to evenly dry.

This will also help with proper air circulation throughout the process. For drying an entire rose, take a few and tie the bunch of roses together with a rubber band or a twine.

It is suggested to use a rubber band as you can tie another knot as the roses start to dry and not let them fall.

Dry the Petals

Tie the bunches together and hang them by the window. Place the petals-covered tissues on the windowsill.

Refer to how this can be done here:

Check the Rose Petals

See if your petals have dried to a point, place them in a basket and set them on the windowsill to dry for a week.

Dry Rose Petals Using a Food Dehydrator

Dry your rose petals instantly with a food dehydrator. However, you need to keep a constant watch to make sure you don’t overheat them.

Pick your Roses

Make sure you don’t proceed with roses that have brown petals because they will dry entirely brown.

Remove the Rose Petals

Using scissors, snip around the base of the rose petals to separate the petals from the stems.

Be sure to cut around the vine. You may also pluck the petals by removing them gently from the stems’ base.

Arrange the Rose Petals

Place the rose petals in your dehydrator in a single layer, making sure they don’t overlap. This is essential for proper air circulation as well.

Set the Food Dehydrator

Set your food dehydrator to the lowest possible setting. It is crucial to keep it low to ensure that your rose petals don’t get burnt.

You will also be required to keep a watch as the rose petals dry to not overheat them.

Dry the Rose Petals

Allow the rose petals to dry completely. The drying process can take a few hours (Excalibur) or a whole day, depending on the type of dehydrator you use (Nesco 600-watt machine or other.)

Let them Cool

Allow the dried rose petals to cool down for a few hours before you proceed to store them.

Properly dried rose petals should resemble corn flakes or very thin potato chips in texture.

Dry Rose Petals Using an Oven

Use an oven to bake your rose petals dry. This is a speedy process and would instantly dry your rose petals within ten minutes.

Make sure you constantly keep checking your rose petals to ensure they don’t get burnt.

Pick your Roses

Make sure you don’t proceed with roses that have brown petals because they will dry entirely brown.

Remove the Rose Petals

Using scissors, snip around the base of the rose petals to separate the petals from the stems.

Be sure to cut around the vine. You may also pluck the petals by removing them gently from the stems’ base.

Arrange the Rose Petals

Place the rose petals on a baking sheet in a single layer, making sure they don’t overlap. This is essential for proper air circulation as well.

Refer to how this can be done in action here:

Set your Oven

Set your oven at 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dry your Rose Petals

Let your rose petals dry for ten minutes. Rose petals are delicate so you need to keep a watch to prevent them from overheating and getting burnt.

Let them Cool

Allow the dried rose petals to cool down for a few hours before you proceed to store them.

Properly dried rose petals should resemble corn flakes or very thin potato chips in texture.

Dry Rose Petals Using a Microwave

Using a microwave for drying your rose petals is the speediest method available. It is quite effective and evenly heats the rose petals.

Do keep a watch as your rose petals dry to prevent them from getting burnt.

Pick your Roses

Make sure you don’t proceed with roses that have brown petals because they will dry entirely brown.

Pick the Petals

Remove the rose petals from the stems and arrange them on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate.

Just keep the petals that appear to be young, with no wilted ends of dried brown parts.

Place the Rose Petals

When putting the rose petals on the paper towel, make sure they don’t clash at all. They will stick to each other if they overlap during the process.

Dry the Rose Petals

Let them dry for two minutes. If you are drying rose petals in bulk, repeat this step accordingly.

Check the Rose Petals

Check to see if the rose petals are dry after two minutes. You would need to add 30 seconds if you began with very fresh or dew-covered roses.

At the two-minute mark, your rose petals will be dehydrated. Take care when handling the plate; it will be scalding.

Let them Cool

Set aside a small area for your petals to dry. Place them on another piece of paper towel to cool as soon as you remove them from the microwave.

Selecting the Perfect Rose for Dried Petals

Freshly picked blooms from your garden can be used wherever possible.

Watch out for bugs in the weeks leading up to and during the flowering season.

If you see them, spray the plants with a solution of soap and water. You can also choose the bugs by hand.

The best blooms for drying are the ones that are the largest, brightest, and bug-free.

In the middle of the day, pick the flowers. The morning dew in the petals would have dried by this point. Even so, the fragrance has yet to be affected by the midday heat.

Cut the roses in the same manner as you would when choosing them for bouquets or displays. This implies that the flowers must remain attached to their stems.

Home-dried Rose Petals vs Store-bought Dried Rose Petals

Dried Rose petals purchased from a store are appropriate. Just remember not to use the dried rose petals in your drinks or meals later.

You can’t be sure these are new, even though your florist says they are. Chemicals are typically sprayed on the flowers during flowering and before they are delivered.

Even after washing and drying the blooms, traces of the chemicals can still be present. The home-dried petals, on the other hand, may be used for other purposes.

Use as little force as possible when handling the flowers.

Dried Roses Vs Fresh Roses: The Primary Difference in Texture

The smell will not last once your rose has been dried. Some of the rose perfume may linger after drying, but the majority of it will be gone.

It is also possible that the color of your flower’s petals will change. When the bright pink roses are dried, they will turn into a lovely lilac.

The deep red roses can stay red, but they dry to a beautiful shade of red.

The Right Way to Store Home-dried Rose Petals

Place the jar of petals in a dark, dry location after tightly sealing it. Avoid placing it near a window because the sun’s rays will eventually fade the petals.

Except for areas on or near the sink and waste bin, you can store the jar in a cupboard.

Our Take on Which Method is Best

For people who live in tropical climates, sun-drying rose petals is the best option.

If you only need a small number of dried rose petals right away, you can use a microwave or a food dehydrator to dry them.

In areas where sunlight is scarce, methods such as drying rose petals in a book, and air-drying them should be used.

You can use an oven to dry rose petals in bulks but you will need to keep a watch to ensure they don’t get burnt.

If you don’t want to risk your rose petals burning, you can also use the air-drying method to dry them in bulk.

FAQs

Bottom Line

We’ve gone through six simple ways to dry rose petals for a multitude of purposes. Hopefully, this guide has aided in your understanding of how to dry rose petals at home.

If so, do share it with your friends and family, and feel free to leave us any questions in the comments section below!