How to Dry Astilbe
With its rich fern-like foliage and brightly colored blooms in shades of lavender, white, burgundy, salmon, red and purple, astilbe adds an old-fashioned woodland charm to the landscape. Because it is a perennial flower, astilbe has blooms that vanish with the first winter frost and don't reappear until spring. However, astilbe lends itself to air-drying, and it isn't difficult to preserve a few of its feathery plumes for year-round enjoyment in dried flower arrangements, potpourri or wreaths.
Harvest astilbe blooms and stems during the warm part of the day. Harvesting astilbe during damp weather or on dewy mornings will make drying the blooms more difficult. Shake the astilbe gently to remove dust and debris.
Loosely gather six to eight astilbe together in a bunch, and secure the stem ends with a rubber band. Hang the astilbe upside down from a coat hanger, nail or wire hook, and put them in a warm, airy, dark room to dry.
- With its rich fern-like foliage and brightly colored blooms in shades of lavender, white, burgundy, salmon, red and purple, astilbe adds an old-fashioned woodland charm to the landscape.
- However, astilbe lends itself to air-drying, and it isn't difficult to preserve a few of its feathery plumes for year-round enjoyment in dried flower arrangements, potpourri or wreaths.
Check the astilbe every few days. When the astilbe is dry, the stems and blooms will be brittle. Drying can take three to six weeks, depending on the humidity and temperature in the room.
Store the dried astilbe upright in a vase. Or, if they aren't in the way, leave them hanging upside down until you're ready to use them. You can also store dried astilbe in a cardboard box lined with tissue paper. Don't store dried astilbe in plastic, as this material lends itself to moisture, which can destroy astilbe.
- Check the astilbe every few days.
- You can also store dried astilbe in a cardboard box lined with tissue paper.
Plant Astilbe
Astilbe enjoys mild weather and a moist soil environment. Soil should drain well and be consistently damp for the best growth potential. The excessive heat of summer makes successful planting difficult at that time of year; results may be better if you wait until fall to plant an astilbe division in the garden bed. While still conforming to the partial shade rule, you can allow the astilbe to have a bit more sun in a different garden location so that it can soak in enough light for root establishment over the winter. The best planting time for seeds is in spring; you can germinate and grow the seedlings in an indoor greenhouse before planting outdoors. Spring and fall heat waves can wreck havoc on sensitive seedlings. As a solution, plant the astilbe near trees and tall shrubs to provide needed shade.
- Astilbe enjoys mild weather and a moist soil environment.
- The excessive heat of summer makes successful planting difficult at that time of year; results may be better if you wait until fall to plant an astilbe division in the garden bed.
Plant Astilbe
Astilbe enjoys mild weather and a moist soil environment. Soil should drain well and be consistently damp for the best growth potential. The excessive heat of summer makes successful planting difficult at that time of year; results may be better if you wait until fall to plant an astilbe division in the garden bed. While still conforming to the partial shade rule, you can allow the astilbe to have a bit more sun in a different garden location so that it can soak in enough light for root establishment over the winter. The best planting time for seeds is in spring; you can germinate and grow the seedlings in an indoor greenhouse before planting outdoors. Spring and fall heat waves can wreck havoc on sensitive seedlings. As a solution, plant the astilbe near trees and tall shrubs to provide needed shade.
- Astilbe enjoys mild weather and a moist soil environment.
- The excessive heat of summer makes successful planting difficult at that time of year; results may be better if you wait until fall to plant an astilbe division in the garden bed.
Related Articles
References
- West Virginia State University: Preserving Flowers for Year-Round Use
- University of Maryland: Preserving Flowers and Leaves
- The Old Farmer's Almanac: Astilbe
- National Gardening Association: Astilbe
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Astilbe
- North Carolina State University: Astilbe x Arendsii
- University of Maryland Cooperative Extension: Astilbe Production and Consumer Care
- The Old Farmer's Almanac: Astilbe
- National Gardening Association: Astilbe
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Astilbe
- North Carolina State University: Astilbe x Arendsii
- University of Maryland Cooperative Extension: Astilbe Production and Consumer Care
Writer Bio
M.H. Dyer began her writing career as a staff writer at a community newspaper and is now a full-time commercial writer. She writes about a variety of topics, with a focus on sustainable, pesticide- and herbicide-free gardening. She is an Oregon State University Master Gardener and Master Naturalist and holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative nonfiction writing.
