You can also set the flowers in a vase to dry. The petals will arch more gracefully. Still place them in a dark, dry place. [4] X Research source
Ideally, you should wait until the sunflower loses its petals and the head droops. You might need to tie the flower head to a stake as it begins to die and droop, though. The head will become heavier, and the plant will begin to weaken under its own weight.
Wait until after the flower starts to die and droop before covering the flower head.
If you have multiple sunflowers, you can also remove the seeds by rubbing two sunflower heads together.
Put them in an airtight container, and stick them in the freezer to store sunflower seeds for up to a year. [17] X Research source
You can also simply place the paper towels or blotting paper between pages in a heavy book.
The paper towels will wick away the moisture released by the sunflower petals as you microwave them.
You should let the petals rest on your paper towels for several hours before you use them, which helps with preservation.
