The leaves are often dried to be used as decoration in craft projects or to preserve spice leaves for cooking. There are many ways to achieve one of these results, so take some time to find out how to find out which method works best for your goals. Fortunately, most of these processes use sources that are easily available or found around the house.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Drying Leaves for Craft Projects
Step 1. Air dry the leaves if you don't want the leaves to be flat
Put the leaves in short containers or tie them in a bunch. Leave it in direct sunlight for a few days and check once a day or two to see if it's dry. Sunlight will dry the leaves, but the leaf margins may curl. This shape makes the leaves difficult to use in craft projects, but they are great for making dried flower arrangements.
- Do not Place the leaves in direct sunlight if you want to maintain the natural green color of the leaves. Direct sunlight will cause the color of the leaves to fade and become less bright.
- Airflow from a fan or window will dry the leaves faster.
Step 2. Flatten the leaves until they are flat and dry in the following slow but simple way
Place a large leaf or several small leaves between two paper towels and make sure that there are no overlapping leaves. Open a large book like an encyclopedia and place a sheet of tissue containing the leaf between the pages. Close the book and put it somewhere separate. Stack other books or heavy and strong objects on top of the book. Check once a week to see if the leaves are dry or not and replace the paper towels if they feel damp.
- If the leaves are wet from the rain, dry them first with a paper towel. Add a few paper towels if the leaves are very wet or if you're worried that the leaves might stain the pages of a book.
- If drying multiple leaves in the same book, leave at least 3 mm of space between the leaflets to provide sufficient weight for each leaf.
Step 3. Use a tool to flatten the flowers in addition to the quick drying method
You can buy a flower leveling tool large enough to fit leaves, or make your own from plywood and cardboard. It's more expensive and uses a lot of material than just flattening leaves in a book, but better air circulation can speed up the drying process by a few days.
Spread the leaves between two paper towels. Place the tissue between two sheets of blotter paper or a few extra sheets of tissue. Place all of these on the tool to flatten the exposed flowers, then close and secure. Check every few days to replace damp paper towels and check to see if the leaves are dry
Step 4. Dry the large, thick leaves quickly in the microwave
Place the thick leaves between the double sheets of paper towels placed on a microwave-safe plate. Place the plate along with the water in a small cup in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds.. If the leaves are not yet dry, reheat for 30 seconds, and remove the leaves at each heating session to see if they are dry or not.
Warning: the leaves burn easily in the microwave, this is why you can only use this method with thick, large leaves. The water in the cup helps prevent this, as some of the microwave energy is used to heat the water.
Step 5. Iron the fresh leaves to preserve the color
This method works best on fresh leaves that haven't changed color or haven't started to dry out yet, although you should dry them with a paper towel if the surface is wet. Place a leaf between two sheets of wax paper and place a towel on top of the paper. Heat the iron, then iron the towel containing the leaves while flattening it for 2-5 minutes or until the sides feel dry. Flip the wax paper over, then place the towel on it again, and repeat the steps.
- Warning: children should ask adults for help to iron the leaves, because the heat of the iron is very dangerous.
- Make sure the iron is not set to generate steam.
- When the leaf is ironed, cut the wax paper around the leaf and remove the wax paper layer. This will allow the wax to stick to the leaves to preserve the color.
Step 6. Preserve the leaf texture with glycerin
This method can only be done on broad, green leaves such as magnolia, lemon, and eucalyptus. This will brown the leaves, but the leaves will become soft and elastic over time. Combine one part glycerin with two parts water in a short dish, and fill it with enough mixture to cover the leaves. Place the leaves in the liquid, making sure the surface is completely submerged. These leaves will come in handy for craft projects after four days, or they can be soaked for a few weeks to preserve them permanently.
- This can work by replacing some of the water with glycerin, which won't evaporate like water.
- If the leaves are floating on the surface, place a paper plate or other object that you don't mind getting wet on it so that it drops to the bottom of the liquid.
- Add glycerin and water if the liquid shrinks under the leaves.
Method 2 of 3: Drying Spice Leaves or Tea Leaves
Step 1. Rinse off the dirt on the freshly picked fresh herbs
If you have a bunch of fresh herbs that look clean and dust-free, you don't need to wash them. However, if you just picked them from the garden, then chances are the leaves are dusty and dirty. Rinse the leaves under running water, then remove any excess water.
Step 2. Spread the wet leaves evenly until the water evaporates before drying
You'll want to dry off any moisture on the leaves, either after washing them or if the leaves are wet when you find them. Spread on a paper towel or clean cloth until there are no water droplets on the surface of the spice leaves.
Step 3. Dry some spice leaves or tea leaves in the microwave
If you want to use the spice leaves immediately, use this method to dry the leaves a little. This method is also suitable for tea leaves that have been used to brew tea. For other types of leaves, spread a small spice leaf between two dry paper towels. Microwave for 30 seconds until the leaves are brittle and watch for signs of scorching on the leaves.
The moist, thick leaves of herbs like fennel and basil don't dry out easily in the microwave, unless they've been partially dried
Step 4. Dry thick or tough spice leaves by hanging them indoors
Some herb leaves don't hold much moisture, and can be dried for several weeks by tying the stems and hanging upside down. Do this in a dark room if possible, as sunlight can damage the color and taste of the herb leaves.
- Spice leaves in this category tend to have hard or thick leaves. These leaves include rosemary, parsley, sage, and thyme (thyme).
- If you like spice leaves that are dry, soft and moist, tie them up and put them in a paper bag and hang them. Punch a hole in the bottom of a paper bag and hang it in an area with good airflow so that the spice leaves dry faster and make it harder for mold to grow.
Step 5. Dry the damp or soft herbs in the oven on a low heat
Spices with soft, moist leaves need to be dried quickly because they can cause mold. Pick the leaves from the stems and place them between the paper towels so that the leaves don't touch each other. You can stack up to five leaves if necessary, alternating between the paper towels and the spice leaf. Place these leaves on an oven-safe dish and place them in the oven on the lowest possible setting. Leaves can take up to 8 hours to dry.
- Press the oven button until only the main light or electric oven light is on.
- Spice leaves that dry well using this method include leaves basil, sage, bay leaf, and fennel.
Step 6. If the spice leaves are crunchy and crumbly, store them in an airtight container
Crush the spice leaves with your fingers before storing or adding to food. Store the dried spice leaves in an airtight container and place in a cool, dark, dry place to preserve the flavor as long as possible.
- Dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh herbs. If substituting dried herb leaves in a recipe that uses fresh herbs, use 1/3 of the required amount or of the required amount if the herbs are basil leaves.
- The tea leaves can be dried immediately after brewing a pot of tea. The microwave method works well, as you usually use small amounts of tea leaves and longer drying times can cause mold. Use dried tea leaves like using spice leaves, or use them to get rid of unpleasant odors around the house.
Method 3 of 3: Making Bone Leaves
Step 1. Choose a leaf with a bold pattern and visible veins
In this way, you will need to remove most of the leaf and leave only the veining behind it. Thick leaves that don't bend easily are a good choice for this project. Leaves from fallen maple or oak trees that are fresh in the fall are best used, as are waxy leaves such as nettle leaf or a magnoli.
Step 2. Fill the pot with 1 liter of water
You can use a small saucepan if you only use a few leaves. If so, don't forget to reduce the amount of the other ingredients proportionally, or use half of the amounts listed below.
Step 3. Put on gloves
The mixture you make can damage the skin, so wear latex or rubber gloves before handling other materials. When finished, don't forget to wash all equipment used under running water while wearing gloves.
Step 4. Add a little baking soda or sodium carbonate
These chemicals can usually be found in grocery or drug stores. Whatever you use, two tablespoons of one of these substances should suffice. This chemical will slowly turn the leaves into leaf pulp and leave only the stalks and veins.
Step 5. Put the leaves in the pot
You can add two or more handfuls of leaves, as long as you can stir the pot easily without spilling the water.
Step 6. Heat the pot to a slow boil
You need to use low heat and let it simmer slowly or let it simmer, then reduce the heat. This mixture should bubble a little.
If you can measure the temperature, set a temperature that reaches 80 degrees Celsius
Step 7. Let it simmer slowly until the leaves are released, and stir occasionally
This method can take all day, depending on how thick the leaves are, but it may also take a few hours. Stir occasionally, gently, and check to see if the leaves are soft and coming off.
You will need to add water when the mixture boils. You can also replace this liquid with a mixture of fresh water and baking soda every four hours to speed up the process
Step 8. Transfer the removed leaves to a baking sheet filled with cold water
A glass baking dish is great for this step, as it's easier for you to see what's being done. Transfer each leaf carefully with a spatula or other utensil and arrange on a baking sheet without overlapping.
Step 9. Use a small, hard brush to remove any remaining leaf pulp
The leaves should be thin with a layer of mushy leaf pulp still attached. Remove the leaf pulp from the leaves slowly and patiently so that only the leaf veins remain, or depending on the type of leaf, only a thin clear layer.
You will need to rinse the leaves in cold running water to remove the leaf pulp one or more times during this process
Step 10. Wash all equipment used while wearing gloves
Rinse pans, stirring utensils, and other items that have come into contact with the slowly simmering mixture. Put on gloves and use soap and warm water.
Step 11. Let the leaves dry
You can dry it on a paper towel by letting it dry or dry it slowly by rubbing it with a tissue, then spread it between the pages of a book or a flower flattening tool. After a day or two, you will have a unique way to change the appearance of the dried leaf craft. Because these dried leaves are transparent, they are good to make on a glass surface.
Tips
- If flattening the leaves with an iron, use some kind of tool as a barrier between the surface of the iron and the top layer of wax paper. Kitchen rags are great, as they don't prevent heat transfer but allow the wax paper to create a strong adhesive and flatten the leaves completely. The kitchen rag will also prevent wax residue from collecting on the hot iron surface.
- You can buy glycerin, baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate at drug and grocery stores.
