09/15/2026
Each week, we add some more stems to dry in our old shed out back, where it has good air flow, is dark and dry.
Even with the cool mornings and evenings, it still gets hot in there, drying maybe not as fast as it did mid summer, but its still getting the job done.
Seems like it takes 2 or so weeks to dry dahlias, where the stem turns from green to brown.
Oftentimes, if the dahlia has too many nibbled petals, was a little too far gone to sell fresh, or if we just had a surplus of flowers that week, we'll dry them. Have hundreds of dahlias that are getting close to being able to wrap up in brown paper bouquets for transport.
They shrink up a LOT though to get into dried form, so a lot can look like a little!
One of the florists in Bay City on our delivery route, Regent Floral & Mercantile, offers classes for creating beautiful projects with dried flowers.
In my mind, experiences and skill building trump ordinary gifts you can give to someone or yourself. To learn as many skills as you can. To work with your hands and stretch yourself.
And who knows...you just might enjoy the process.
