Homemade Dried Flower and Herb Potpourri
Homemade dried flower and herb potpourri makes a beautiful homemade potpourri that works well as a natural whole room scent and makes a lovely homemade gift.
Make Potpourri With Me
Spring has sprung and all the flowers are blooming. The herbs are abundant for the time being and at the end of it, I want to savor it all. We grow all sorts of flowers and herbs on our property.
Presently, all sorts of calendula, chives, daffodils, tulips, and roses. To name but a few. I wouldn’t necessarily use all of these garden finds for this homemade dried flower and herb potpourri. As chive may not be quite the right scent I am going for it. But their flowers are beautiful.
I often hang both flowers and herbs in the house to dry as I love the old-world charm it brings to my home. You can do that with just about any sort of flowers and herbs you grow. I have even done this with spent bouquets from the grocery store.
However, one of the best uses of them is this homemade dried flower and herb potpourri. You can use any variation you grow or have on hand. From roses to lavender buds, and nasturtiums. Today we are using what I grow and have on hand currently. I have chosen calendula, lemon balm, a bit of mint, and lavender. All beautiful to add to this potpourri blend.
But not to worry, if you don’t happen to grow flowers, you can do this with a grocery store bouquet or skip the whole drying step altogether and purchase dried flowers. For best results do not store the potpourri in direct sunlight and use pure essential oils in addition to fragrant flowers.
What is Potpourri?
Originating in France. People would hang flowers all summer and spring to dry in their homes. Those hung flowers and herbs became part of the home décor throughout the growing season. The French meaning for the word itself is “putrid pot” which is not exactly the most charming to find out. But, all summer long they would gather herbs and flowers, then wrap them in bundles to hang around the home. Allowing them to dry for a couple of days this way.
Once dried they would add a bit of sea salt to them after placing them in a large pot. When the pot began to ferment, spices were added. By fall, they would have a mixture that would smell nice and be added to special pots with perforated lids so the scent would fill the room it sat in.
Today we have access to all sorts of essential oils and dried flowers are readily available to us so the process of making potpourri is quite simple.
Dried Flower and Herb Potpourri Is
- A simple homemade potpourri blend.
- Able to be made with any fresh flowers or herbs you want to preserve including rose buds, lavender flowers, and lemon verbena.
- Fun to create your own blend with different scents.
- One of the best potpourri blends to make for a nice strong scent.
- A natural method for making air fresheners.
- A great way to use up herbs if you have an herb garden.
What You Will Need to Make It
Flower heads to dry
Fresh herbs to dry
Dehydrator or baking sheet
Orris root powder or vetiver root
a mason jar or container with a lid
Directions
Start by removing any long portions of stems from the flowers and herbs. Lay the flower heads and herbs on your dehydrator trays.
Note: The drying process is a lot quicker using a dehydrator or oven but you can opt to do the air-dry method, see notes.
I like to section off mine by flower heads and by herbs. That way when combining, I can add equal parts of each. But it is not a necessary step. Plug the dehydrator in and allow it to dry your items for a few hours. Check your herbs and flower heads momentarily to see when ready. I find 3 hours works well but depending on the flower choices it could take longer.
The larger the flower heads, the more time they tend to take. Herbs usually dry faster so you might need to remove them before the flowers are finished.
To Use Oven
Lay the flower heads and herbs on a baking sheet. Place in 180℉ oven for about 2-4 hours. Herbs and flowers are dried when they shrivel up in appearance. They also crumble easily to the touch.
You can also hang them to dry but this takes several days. To make your Homemade Dried Flower and Herb Potpourri on the same day you will need to use the dehydrator or the oven method.
Once dried, it is time to combine. Add equal portions of each item to a mason jar or a container with a lid. Fill it about halfway and at this point it is a good idea to add in some of those essential oils.
I add about 10 drops of each essential oil to every four cups of dried potpourri. For a blend that is 20 drops in total. To that 4 cups of dried potpourri, I add 2 tablespoons of orris root powder. Then shake the container or mix with your hands. Place in a mason jar or sealable container. Allow it to season for 2 to 4 weeks. This allows the potpourri to “season’.
When ready, place display it in pretty glass dishes around your house and enjoy the beautiful sight and fragrance of your homemade dried flower potpourri.
Notes
- If you prefer to slowly dry your herbs and flowers you can do so by hanging them. Use twine to create bundles at the base of the stems for both the herbs and the flowers. Tie it snugly and use the twine to hang the bundles from a nail or hook. Depending on the size and type of flowers, this can take a few days or a couple weeks to properly dry. Flowers might take a long time while dried herbs are much quicker. Hang in a dark place or out of direct sunlight if possible.
- Do not skip using the orris root powder (or vetiver root if using that). These are essential in holding the scent within the potpourri.
- The potpourri can be placed in sachet bags or placed out in dishes for a nice display.
Essential Oil Blends To Try
For these blends, I add equal amounts of each. For every four cups of dried flowers and herbs. I add 5 drops of essential oils for each blend. In addition to 2 tablespoons of the orris root powder.
Citrus Blend
Lemon, orange, grapefruit and bergamot
Floral Blend
Rose, lavender, ylang ylang
Woodsy Blend
Sandalwood, cedar and fir needle
Sweet Blend
Sweet orange and vanilla
FAQ
How long does the scent stay on the potpourri?
You can expect your scent to last about 2 months. After that, you will likely not notice the smell anymore. You can restore the scent by adding more essential oils.
What is the orris root powder used for?
The orris root powder is a vital ingredient to use. It is what is called a fixable in potpourri making. Which works to keep the essential oils from evaporating. Using it will allow your potpourri to have a scent for up to two months. If not used, the essential oils in your potpourri will likely only last about a day.
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Wide Mouth Ball Jars Pint Sized 3 Count
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