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Herbs, Flowers & Specialty CropsDried Flower Planting Calendar
Dried flower crops need two calendars: one for growing and one for drying. Timing the cut to the right bloom stage matters as much as the sowing date.
Key points
- Anchor planting on your own last frost date and each crop's days to maturity.
- Cut at the stage suited to each crop, on dry mornings.
- Dry in a warm, dark, ventilated place and store dry.
- Match plantings to your drying space.
Which flowers suit drying?
Flowers that hold shape and color after drying include everlasting types, ornamental grasses, seed heads and some herbs and perennials. Extension cut flower resources, including Utah State University's, list species suited to cutting and drying, and your own regional extension service can show which perform in your climate.
Group crops by how they are dried: hang-dried bunches, air-dried seed heads and pressed or silica-dried blooms.
Test a few stems of each crop before you commit to a large planting. Some plants that look good fresh lose color, shatter or turn brittle when dry, and a small trial will show which ones work.
When should you plant dried flowers?
Use your average last spring frost as the anchor. Hardy annuals can go in early, half-hardy types around the last frost and tender ones after it. Seed packets give weeks to start indoors before the last frost and days to maturity, so subtract from your own dates. For example, if your last frost is usually in early May, a crop that needs six weeks indoors would be started in late March.
Frost dates are averages, so keep row cover handy.
Think about uses and markets early. Wreaths, bouquets, arrangements and craft supplies call for different crops, stem lengths and quantities. If you sell dried flowers, talk with buyers about their needs and the volumes they expect, since drying capacity and storage space set your limits. Planting for a specific outlet makes the calendar more focused, and it helps you decide which crops to expand and which to drop after the first season.
How do you time the cut?
The cutting stage is critical for drying. Many everlastings are cut just as blooms open or before they are fully open, while seed heads are cut once they are mature but before they shatter. Cutting too late leaves petals that drop or turn brown. Extension and grower guides describe the stage for each crop, so test with a small cut and note the results.
Cut on dry mornings after dew has gone, so stems are not damp and prone to mold.
Record the date you cut each lot and the date it was fully dry. Drying time varies with humidity, temperature and stem thickness, and your notes will let you predict the next year's workload.
How should you dry and store flowers?
Most flowers dry best in a warm, dry, dark, well-ventilated place. Bunch stems loosely, hang them upside down and give each bunch room. Avoid damp basements and direct sun, which fades colors. Check for mold and discard affected stems.
Store dried flowers in a dry, dark place, away from dampness and pests. Dried flowers for craft use are not food, so food preservation rules do not apply.
- Dry in a warm, dry, dark space with good airflow.
- Hang small bunches, do not crowd them.
- Store boxed in a dry, dark place, labeled by date and variety.
What succession and spacing work?
Stagger sowings of the main crops so cutting and drying workloads spread across weeks, not days. Plan beds with a harvest path and enough room for air movement, which helps limit leaf disease. Use a soil test and follow your extension office's fertility advice, since overly rich soil can produce weak stems.
What pests and problems should you expect?
Aphids, mites, slugs and fungal leaf spots can affect crops. Have problems identified by extension before using any treatment, follow the label, avoid spraying open blooms and protect pollinators. Where flowers will be sold, check state rules on pesticide use.
Check dried material for insect eggs or larvae before storage and use sealed containers where needed. Clean, dry storage areas prevent most problems.
How do you plan sales and drying capacity?
Drying space is often the bottleneck. Count how many bunches your space holds, and plan plantings accordingly. If you sell, check your state department of agriculture and local authorities for any licensing, sales tax or market rules, and keep records of planting and sales to improve next year's plan.
As the season closes, pull together a short list of what worked: crops that dried with good color, ones that shattered, how many bunches your space held and how long drying took. That list becomes the starting point for next year's planting plan.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.