Content
- Beautiful leaves dry and admire even longer
- How are leaves dried?
- Several paths lead to the dry destination
- Press leaves
- Tips
- Air dry
- Iron away moisture
- microwave drying
- Dry with dry salt
There are several ways to dry leaves
Beautiful leaves dry and admire even longer
Beautiful leaves awaken the collecting passion in us. Whether bright green in the summer, or brightly colored in the fall. To retain their beauty for longer, they must lose moisture. The drying works between two book pages, but also different.
How are leaves dried?
Fresh leaves turn into durable specimens when deprived of oxygen and moisture. The water contained in the leaf cells must leave them completely, otherwise it is an invitation to mold.
Absorbent material such as newsprint or kitchen paper supports the drying process by absorbing the desiccating moisture. It comes both under and over the material to be dried.
If flat leaves are needed as decoration material for greeting cards or for a herbarium, they must be pressed.
Several paths lead to the dry destination
Leaves are very thin and therefore easy to dry. In doing so, you can patiently let time take your work, or actively organize the drying process. The following drying methods are possible:
Press leaves
Pressing in this case means to load the leaves properly weight. The applied pressure keeps them flat and dry with time.Pressing between two book pages is well known, but it works as follows:
- Spread a kitchen towel on a level surface. Spread the leaves on it. Cover the leaves with another kitchen towel. Place a large wooden board over it and add weights to it.
Tips
There are special plant presses on the market that work on the same principle. If you want to extend the drying of leaves to a hobby, it will serve you well.
Air dry
Whole shoots can be tied together to posy and hung upside down to dry. Single leaves can be spread on a kitchen towel and allowed to air dry. If this happens in a dark place, even many color particles can be obtained.
Iron away moisture
A hot iron makes water evaporate quickly. Of course, the integrated steam function is disturbing here and must be switched off.
- Dab wet leaves first. Lay it between two layers of wax paper. Iron over it for several minutes. The thicker the leaves, the longer. Apply the leaves and iron them for another few minutes. Repeat the process until the leaves are completely dry.
So dried leaves retain their natural color.
microwave drying
This method allows for quick drying, but the leaves may curl up or quickly spill. This also applies to drying in the oven at 50 degrees Celsius.
Dry with dry salt
Dry salt is available at hardware stores and is ideal for drying leaves. Alternatively, normal saline, cat litter and detergent are also suitable.