Homemade Drying Formula

• Drying flowers by removing their moisture is a popular way to maintain the flowers' shape while eliminating moisture, which causes the flower petals to fall off and wilt. To create a homemade drying formula, mix 1 cup of borax powder with 3 cups of white cornmeal. Place these ingredients into a plastic bin large enough so the tiger lilies are able to lie without being squished. Spread these ingredients in an even layer along the bottom of the container, and gently place fresh tiger lilies into the container. Make sure you pick tiger lilies immediately before the flower reaches maturity, and cut the stem so only 1 inch remains below the flower. Place the flowers onto the drying materials, and carefully pour the drying powder over the tiger lilies until they are completely covered. Store the container in a warm and dry location for a minimum of two weeks.
  
  

Silica Gel Drying

• Another popular way to dry tiger lilies is to submerge the flowers in silica gel. Silica gel works to absorb moisture, and is available at hobby, gardening and florist retail stores. Silica gel can dry most flowers within 48 hours, which helps to preserve the flowers' color. Pour 2 inches of silica gel into a container, and carefully place the tiger lilies into the container. Gently pour additional silica gel over the flowers until they are completely covered. Place the lid onto the container, and store on a flat surface. After 48 hours have passed, carefully remove the container lid and gently remove the tiger lilies from the silica gel. Be careful not to roughly handle these flowers as the silica gel makes the petals brittle, which makes them prone to breaking.
  
  

Air Drying

• If you do not wish to use a drying agent, you may dry tiger lily flowers by hanging them upside down in a warm, dark room. To do this, gather tiger lilies immediately before they mature, and remove any leaves from their stems. Group the tiger lilies together and secure the stems by wrapping a rubber band around them. Hang the tiger lilies upside down in a dark room that is free from excess moisture and sunlight. Rooms such as attics, furnace rooms or closets are ideal for drying flowers in this fashion. Allow the tiger lilies to hang for two to three weeks before carefully removing and separating.
  
  

Microwave

• Drying tiger lilies in a microwave is by far the fastest way to remove moisture from the flowers while maintaining the highest level of coloration within the flower petals. The North Dakota State University Agriculture Department states lilies are among the best flower species to dry in the microwave. To dry tiger lilies in this fashion, pour silica gel into a microwave-safe container, and cut the flower's stem so only 1 inch remains below the flower. Stick the stem into the silica gel, and carefully pour additional silica gel over the flower until it is completely covered. Position the container in the microwave, and place 1 cup of water beside the container. Turn on the microwave for up to 2 ½ minutes. The exact heating time will vary according to the tiger lily size and thickness, thus you may have to experiment with this method until you find the appropriate heating time. Remove the container from the microwave, and allow it to rest for six hours. Carefully remove the dried tiger lilies from the container.