How to dry roses in the microwave
The poem is full of praise for the eternal beauty of the rose. However, roses are not only beautiful to look at, they can also be made into dried petals, which can be used for many purposes, such as making potpourri or sachets, decorating a room, or serving as sprinkles at weddings. Moreover, making dried flower petals is not difficult, let’s do it together.

Pick petals
Choose fresh, blooming roses. Roses can be picked at any time as soon as they bloom, but try to pick them when they are in full bloom and most beautiful, because the roses smell the most fragrant at this time. Don’t pick roses with brown petals, otherwise all the petals will turn brown when dried.
Picking flowers also requires time.
The best time to pick roses is the period from when the dew dries in the morning to when the sun is strongest at noon. There should not be any moisture on the rose petals, otherwise the petals will rot and the dried petals will turn brown. And the roses before noon are also the most fragrant.
Picking flowers also requires time.
The best time to pick roses is the period from when the dew dries in the morning to when the sun is strongest at noon. There should not be any moisture on the rose petals, otherwise the petals will rot and the dried petals will turn brown. And the roses before noon are also the most fragrant.

Make dried petals
Spread the petals on a piece of cloth. You can also place it on an old window screen or a metal filter in your kitchen. The petals cannot overlap, otherwise the dried petals will stick together and you will have to tear them apart with your hands.
Place the petals in a ventilated place.
The best place to dry is on a flat surface that is dark and well-ventilated. Direct sunlight will cause the petals to become brittle, and placing them in a humid place will cause the petals to rot.
Turn the petals several times during the drying process. It usually takes several weeks to dry the petals, during which time the petals must be turned over at least once a week. Turning the petals over ensures that both sides of the petals are fully exposed to the air.
Remove the petals from the cloth.
When the petals become as crispy as cornflakes, you can remove the petals. If the petals are stored before they are dry, they will slowly become moldy.

Place several layers of paper towels on a microwave-safe plate.
Then place the petals on the paper towel, making sure the petals don’t overlap or they will stick together when dry.
Cover the petals.
After laying out the petals, cover them with another piece of paper towel, which acts as a cover.
Put the dish in the microwave.
Use high heat for 40 seconds, but different microwaves have different drying effects, so you may have to experiment a few times to determine the appropriate length of time.

Check the dryness of the petals.
After a certain amount of time in the microwave, you can take out the plate. The petals are now dry but not brittle yet. If the petals are still a little wet, put them back in the microwave for a while.
Remove the petals from the microwave.
If you want the petals to be more crispy, you can choose a place that is wind-free, dust-free, away from light and moisture, then lay a paper towel on a flat surface, and put the petals on it to air-dry.
Storing and using dried flower petals
Store dried flower petals in coffee cans, beverage cans or glass jars. Dried petals can be stored this way for a long time. Jars used for storage should be sealed to prevent insects from eating the petals. Dried petals cannot be stored in direct sunlight.

Determine uses for dried flower petals.
There are countless uses for dried flower petals. You can use the dried petals as wedding sprinkles or make potpourri. You can also try the following methods.
Add some flower petals to your drink. Rose cocktails, rose punch and rose water are all great drinks.
Hint
After storing dried flower petals, check them frequently for insects. Once you find bugs, pour out all the petals inside and clean the jar thoroughly before using it again.
Collect more petals. In this way, even if there are some losses in the process of making dried petals, the petals will not be insufficient.
Note that most flowers will darken in color as they dry, which is especially important to consider if you are using the dried petals for decoration.

Microwave drying flowers
1. Pick the flowers and remove any leaves you don’t want to keep. For best results, pick newly opened flowers after the morning dew has dried. If you wish, you can cut the stems to your desired size and remove the leaves from the stems.
Some small flowers suitable for drying include forget-me-nots, buttercups, lilacs, daisies, heather, sage, violas and acacias.
Some larger flowers to try include roses, camellias, gardenias, marigolds, peonies or hyacinths

2. Place the flowers in a microwave-safe bowl filled with silica sand. Choose a bowl made of a material like Pyrex that’s safe for use in the microwave. Fill 1/3 of the bowl with silica sand. Put the flowers on the sand. You can buy silica sand online or at a hardware store.
Silica sand can be expensive, but you can reuse it.
If you don’t want to use silica sand, you can use cat litter or even just place the flowers on paper towels. Just use paper towels, the flowers will take longer to dry.

3. Cover the flowers with sand. Make sure the flowers are completely covered with silica sand so it dries evenly. If you are drying florets, you can put many flowers in the same bowl.
You can dry as many flowers as you can fit into the bowl at the same time, but they may take longer to dry all.

4. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, 30 seconds at a time. Place a cup of water in the microwave along with a bowl of silica sand. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Break apart a section of the flower at 30-second intervals to inspect and rebury if necessary by placing it back in the microwave. When the flowers are dry to the touch, remove them from the microwave.
The larger the flower, the longer it will take to dry.
Alternatively, you can cover the flowers in silica sand without microwaving and wait for them to dry naturally.

5. Leave the flowers in the silica sand for a day. For complete drying, leave the flowers in the silica sand for at least 24 hours. Once the flowers are completely dry, you can display them in jars.
Microwaving flowers is a shortcut to drying them, sometimes resulting in an inconsistent finish. However, it’s quick and easy.
Original article author:Fragrant Road Full,If reprinted, please indicate the source.:https://www.theroadfull.com/article/2929.html