A FLORIST has revealed the handy kitchen gadget that can transform your flowers.
More than half of households across the UK now own an air fryer, and they’re continuing to rise in popularity.
Your air fryer can be used to preserve flowers as well as preparing food[/caption]
And Shelley Davis, flower expert at Flying Flowers, has revealed the appliance can also be used beyond the kitchen by dehydrating and preserving fresh flowers.
Dried flowers have had a resurgence in popularity in recent years – especially for weddings and confetti.
With the summer wedding season upon us, Shelley’s nifty air fryer trick can also allow newlyweds to preserve flowers from their special day.
The best part? It takes just 30 minutes to do.
Shelley put the trend to the test with three popular flowers – roses, peonies and delphiniums – and provided her expert tips on how to get the best result so you can enjoy your bouquets for longer.
Pick and prep your petals
When choosing which flowers out of the bouquet to preserve, Shelley suggests: “It’s best to pick the stems that have opened the most and that have kept their colour, as the drying process can shrink the petals and darken the flower.
“Once chosen, cut the stem down to fit the air fryer basket but make sure not to trim it too short if you want to display your dried flowers in a vase – as they still need something to stand on!
“If drying just the petals, to use for confetti or potpourri, carefully peel back each petal from the bud.
“The best ones to choose are usually a few layers in, so you may need to discard the outer few.”
Timing is everything to perfect each bloom
Timing is also key when it comes to preserving flowers using the air fryer.
Shelley recommends: “Different flowers need different drying times due to their density and size.
“Those with thicker petals, such as roses, peonies and lilies will need longer than delphiniums, poppies and orchids, which have slightly thinner petals.”
From her testing, she found the below times worked best for the few species chosen.
- Whole rose – 82C for 30 minutes.
- Whole peony – 82C for 30 minutes.
- Whole delphinium – 82C for 10 minutes.
- Individual rose petals – 82C for 2 minutes 30 seconds.
Shelley adds: “Once the flower is in the air fryer, make sure to rotate it halfway through and keep a check on its overall progress as some flowers may need slightly longer or shorter – every bloom is different.”
Design your flower display
“There are so many ways to present newly dried bouquets,” says Shelley.
“From creating new displays, reusing them and even pressing them into frames.
“Displaying them in a vase, just as you would when they are fresh, can keep a room looking bright and you can continue adding to it once you’ve acquired more flowers.
“Additionally, individual stems can be used to create unique seasonal door wreaths that will last for years.
“Popular among newlyweds is preserving flowers to then press and present in frames, which is an ideal way to capture one element from the special day.
“Also popular with current brides is to give their bouquets to friends and family members who are also getting married to be used for confetti – both sustainable and a special way to include loved ones in the day.”
