Preparing to dry your favorite flowers, grass or wildflowers, is not difficult. Once pressed correctly they can be used for postcards, images, bookmarks, or anything that would look pretty if decorated. The most important thing to do is to remove the moisture. Decorating pretty and delicate flowers can be a great gift idea, along with other uses.
This article is about how to use a book, rather than a flower press, to still get a great result.
Steps
Step 1. Harvest the plants when they are dry or preferably before the morning heat has caused them to wilt
Usually the flower is preferred to the stem, but you will surely want to collect some leaves as well. Sometimes the roots are cute and useful too.
Pansies and violets are particularly easy to press and tend to retain color
Step 2. Spread the flowers
Remove the petals from their pistil. At the same time press the foliage so that you have a trace (even if you are not going to use it). Also press with your fingers if necessary.
Step 3. Get a large book to flatten the flowers
Useful books in this regard can be telephone directories, bibles, large dictionaries, etc. If you are traveling, you can also use the hotel telephone directory (asking for permission).
If you find yourself on the street (like traveling), use any kind of blotting paper list, such as advertising flyers. When you get home, you can move them to a larger phone directory
Step 4. Open the pages of the book you have chosen
Insert a folded tissue paper or a sheet of newspaper. The handkerchief will make it easier to move the book and protect it from stains.
Step 5. Place the petals, leaves and flowers inside the fold
Close the pages, skip a couple, and continue like this with the other leaves and flowers.
Step 6. Close the book after adding the flowers and leaves
Add more weight on top for easier pressure. Let it sit for about a week or more to apply pressure.
If you want, you can move the handkerchief containing the flowers to another book several times. The idea is to remove moisture from the plant. After the third move, let it rest until the handkerchief is completely dry
Step 7. Get the flowers and leaves under pressure
Remove them from the handkerchief once they are dry and place them on a sheet of acid-free paper (most paper today is acid-free).
Step 8. Use the pressed flowers and leaves for artistic crafts or for an exhibition
Some people like to press flowers into diaries, newspapers, etc., as a reminder of times gone by.
Advice
- You can find the yellow pages in pharmacies and food stores.
- If you can't find a phone book, use a heavy dictionary.
- Don't pick too many flowers at once as selecting them takes too much time.
- Make a note of the name of the flower, when and where you picked it. You can do this first on the handkerchief and then on a piece of paper.
- The leaves can also lose their color, unless you initially treat them with silica.
- Maple leaves are perfect, as are ginko leaves harvested during autumn when they are golden.
- Picking white flowers is probably not a great choice.
- A skewer stick can be useful in storing flowers and petals.
- If you choose the pansy and put it upside down on paper or plastic it shrivels. Then you can press him. It will thus retain color and offer variety. Violets are very small flowers, particularly suitable for miniature images.
Warnings
- Flower growers are happy to share them, but don't pick them without asking permission. (If you collect a lot of flowers from someone, remember to make a card or bookmark for them too.)
- Watch where you put your feet. Red ants can sting when you're in a hurry.
- Never collect from national parks or city parks. It's illegal.
- Pay attention to the flowers you pick! Wildflowers are beautiful, but they often live in fragile habitats and can be threatened with extinction. Some species in many countries are protected by law (such as the Californian poppy or the Canberra bluebell) and you can be fined if you are caught picking them.
- If you are unfamiliar with leaves or flowers, be careful as some can sting and others are poisonous. Remember the rule of oak and poison ivy: the fruits of the tree, leave them where they are.
