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Homemade potpourri is a simple, budget-friendly gift that can be prepared in batches for friends and neighbors. Combine dried plants, herbs, spices, and citrus with a few drops of essential oil to create a fragrant mix that can be displayed in a bowl or used to scent a room.
Choose ingredients for their appearance as well as their aroma. For a seasonal blend, try dried orange, cinnamon, and fir-scented oil. You can use foraged or store-bought materials, but anything collected outdoors should be clean and completely dry before it goes into the mixture.
Homemade Potpourri Ingredients and Supplies
Gather a selection of the following ingredients, then adjust the combination to suit the season or the recipient:
- Dried herbs, such as rosemary and sage
- Dried spices, such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise
- Dried apple or orange slices
- Orange peel
- Dried flowers, such as calendula
- Pine cones
- Festive essential oil, such as cinnamon or fir needle
- Glass jars or cellophane bags for packaging
For a balanced look, mix a few larger pieces, such as cinnamon sticks or pine cones, with smaller spices and dried petals. Use clean, dry packaging so moisture does not affect the finished potpourri.
How to Make Homemade Potpourri
Prepare all the ingredients before mixing. Any fresh fruit or herbs must be thoroughly dried to reduce the risk of mold. To dry orange slices, press out as much juice as possible with a tea towel, then bake them for a couple of hours at 200 degrees. Check them as they dry; the slices should be dry before you store or package them.
For decorative orange-peel curls, use a channel knife to cut long strips. Wrap each strip around a straw and leave it for a couple of days so it can hold its curled shape. These curls add visual interest and a citrus scent to the blend.
Add 6–8 drops of essential oil to the dry ingredients and toss gently to distribute the fragrance. Start with the suggested amount, then add more only if needed. Place the mixture in a glass jar or cellophane bag and seal it tightly. The scent is strongest several days after sealing, so prepare the gift in advance when possible.
How to Use and Gift the Potpourri
Attach a note explaining how to use the mixture: pour it into a bowl to scent a small space, or add it to a pot of boiling water to fragrance the home. If heating it in water, keep the pot attended and make sure it does not boil dry. Potpourri is intended for fragrance, not consumption.
This homemade potpourri is easy to customize, package, and share as a seasonal gift. Store sealed jars or bags in a cool, dry place until they are ready to give. By Kayleigh.
