How to Air-Dry Fragrant Roses for Culinary and Medicinal Use

Drying roses is a delightful way to preserve their beauty and use in dried flower arrangements or save them for medicinal or culinary use later when fresh roses are not available. Here is how to air-dry them:

If you are drying roses with the intent to use them medicinally or in recipes, choose roses that you know have been grown organically to avoid chemicals. Roses from the grocery store or florist have more than likely been grown with chemical fertilizers and/or pest sprays. The best way to harvest organic roses is to know your source – either your own or someone you know that grows them organically.
All rose varieties are edible. The best ones to dry are the more fragrant ones. The more fragrant they are, the more flavor and aroma they will have when dried.
The best time to cut roses for drying is in the morning after the dew has dried. The aroma is more concentrated in the morning so you will have more fragrant/flavorful dried roses.
Cut the rose stems with at least 6 inches of stem. If drying for arrangements, cut them the length you desire.
Bundle the rose stems (6-10 roses per bundle) with a rubber band or tie with twine, leaving an inch or two of stems. If using twine, be sure to tie as tight as possible since the stems will shrink a bit when drying, then could fall out of the bundle when drying.
Hang bundles upside-down in a cool, dark place using a clothesline or nails/tacks in the wall. You can use a metal paper clip inserted into the rubber band to hang, and tie a loop in the twine to have a way to hang.
Let them dry for 2-3 weeks, or until they feel crisp to the touch. You want them fully dry before storing to prevent mold.
To store them, you can either leave them hanging or put into a glass jar with a lid. Store in a dark place such as a cupboard to avoid color fade.

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