Autumn brings out the most beautiful treasures with its colorful leaves. It's just a shame that they turn brown and wrinkled after a while! You can find out here how you can easily dry leaves and thus make them durable.
Tips for drying leaves
- The leaves can only be kept when they are completely dry. This means that the moisture must be completely withdrawn from them, otherwise they can also start to mold.
- Note that the leaves of different tree species take different lengths of time: this is mainly due to the fact that they are of different thicknesses.
- If you collect leaves from outside, make sure that this is done on a dry day, and preferably around lunchtime: then the dew is already dry.
There are several ways to capture the beauty of colorful leaves. Here we introduce you to the simplest ones.
Leaves dry with a press
The easiest way to dry leaves is by pressing them with a heavy straight object. If you want to dry leaves often, you can use one Plant presswhich is commercially available or can be built by yourself. This press consists of two boards that allow a pressing device with the help of screws. The principle can also be used with heavy books implement. That's how it's done:
You need:
- Blotting paper, sandwich paper, newspaper (not a glossy magazine) or kitchen paper
- A difficult book
- Additional weights (e.g. additional heavy books)
That's how it's done:
- Put a double page in the middle of the book with z. B. greaseproof paper.
- Position your sheets of paper between the layers of paper so that they neither overlap, crease, or lie too close to the edge.
- Gently close the book and, if necessary, weigh it down with additional books to increase the pressure.
- Let the press rest in a dry, warm place. Wait three weeks (possibly up to 6 weeks): As soon as the leaves are completely dry, they can be kept. It is advisable to replace the sandwich paper several times during this time, as this absorbs the moisture.
Caution: Once the leaves are completely dry, they are very fragile!
tip: Spray the dried leaves on both sides with hairspray or clear lacquer. That makes them more stable.
Dry leaves in the microwave
This method is for small and filigree leaves suitable that are already dry. This saves you the long waiting time that you would otherwise have to take into account when pressing the leaves.
You need:
- microwave
- 2 flat plates that are suitable for the microwave (e.g. tiles)
- 2 cardboard
- Kitchen paper
- Elastic band
That's how it's done:
- Place a piece of cardboard on a plate (for tiles: glazed side up) and another piece of kitchen paper on top of the cardboard.
- The leaves are now placed on the kitchen paper. Then you position another layer of kitchen paper and cardboard over it and close the pressing device with the second plate (for tiles: glazed side now down).
- To increase the pressure, fasten one or more rubber bands around the plates.
- Then put the bundle in the microwave and set 800 to 900 watts for 60 Seconds a. Caution: The plates are very hot! Make sure to use a pot holder to touch!
- Then check your result: If the leaves are not yet sufficiently dry, repeat the process. If necessary, you can also weigh down the plates with weights suitable for the microwave.
Air dry leaves
Whole shoots and leaves can of course also air dry. Tie them up and hang them upside down in a dry place dark place or let them dry on a kitchen towel. The darkness helps to preserve the color. With this variant however, the leaves curl and deform themselves.
Dry the leaves with salt
You need:
- Dry salt (from the craft store)
- Flat bowl
That's how it's done:
- Put a thin layer of salt on the bottom of the bowl and place the leaf or several leaves on top (they shouldn't overlap). Cover the leaf completely with another layer of salt.
- Repeat the principle for all leaves. Always finish with a layer of salt.
- The salt will change its color over the next few days: the more moisture it absorbs, the lighter it appears. After a few days the leaves are dry and can be used then pressed smooth in books become. This process is now much faster.
tip: The salt can then be dried in the oven and used again.
You can use the dried leaves, for example, to make a lantern or make a bookmark. On the other hand, you can find out how to dry herbs here!
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