Techniques for Preserving Fall Leaves

Fall not only means more leaves in your yard to clean up after. It's also the season for beautifully colored leaves. Magnificent displays of yellow, mahogany, and burgundy crown trees and blankets yards. Preserving fall leaves is one way to appreciate the lovely colors of fall and bring them with you long after the season has passed.

There are many ways to preserve fall leaves. Here are some techniques that you can try:

1. Pressing leaves in between wax paper.

This is a simple and traditional way of preserving fall leaves. Select the leaves that you want to keep and keep them in between two sheets of wax paper. Cover with a piece of cloth and just iron warmly. This will cause your wax paper to melt and bind together, with your leaf safely held in between. Use a scissor to cut an outline of the leaf.

Another variation is to simply put a weight on the wax paper to preserve the leaves. You can use heavy books to apply the weight that you need. Leave it in this position for 1 to 2 weeks to make sure leaves are completely dried when you take them out.

2. Preserving fall leaves using a microwave oven.

This method takes a bit of trial and error. Choose leaves from trees and not those that have already fallen to the ground. Place the leaf on 2 layers of paper towel. Put them inside the microwave oven. Cover the leaf with 1 layer of paper towel. Runt the microwaves oven at 30-second intervals and check for doneness. Fresher leaves will take longer, while drier leaves will require a shorter time in the oven.

You should produce dry, crisp leaves after you take them out of the microwave. If they curl up, that means they didn't spend enough time drying in the microwave. If they burn, that means you've left them in too long. Yes, they can burn inside the microwave oven, so you need to be attentive when using this method to preserve fall leaves.

After you take them out of the oven, put them out to dry for 36 to 48 hours. And then, spray with a sealant as a finishing touch.

3. Silica gel method.

This method is best for leaves that are supple or when you want to preserve leaves that are fresher. You will need a microwave-safe container. Put a layer of silica gel, about an inch, at the bottom of the container. Add your leaves, making sure they don't touch each other and the sides of the container. Add a layer of silica gel on top, completely covering your leaves by an inch.

Place the container inside the microwave oven. Determining how much time your leaves need in the microwave oven can be tricky to predict. What you can do is run your microwave oven at 30-second intervals after the first minute, and then check for doneness. When they're done, spray the leaves with a sealant or an acrylic spray to make the leaves a bit more durable.

4. Glycerin method.

Glycerin is another substance you can use in preserving fall leaves. The nice thing about glycerin as a preserving agent is that it doesn't leave your leaves dry. It preserves them nicely, so you enjoy the suppleness of the preserved leaves for a long time.

You will need a shallow container. Mix 1 part glycerin to 2 parts water. Place your fall leaves in this solution. Grab another container and use it to weigh down the leaves and make sure they are all entirely submerged in the glycerin solution. Let them stay in the solution for 2 to 3 days. You know they're done when they feel soft and flexible. If after 3 days, they still feel like dry leaves, keep them in the solution for another couple of days.

When they're done, take them out. Blot with paper towels until dry.

Follow LeafMulcherHQ On:

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/leafmulcherhq/

List.ly: https://list.ly/list/jkF-best-leaf-vacuum-mulcher-leaf-blower-review

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/people/leafmulcherreviews/