Creating a herbarium is a fun activity for children and a kind of botanical diary at the same time. It is important to dry and press the plant material properly. Otherwise the quality suffers.
Plants have been pressed for centuries
drying and pressing
With dry preservation, water is removed from the plant so that the parts of the plant no longer rot. The faster the drying process is completed, the better the result. Your collected flowers will retain as much of their color pigments as possible if they are quickly put into the plant press. If the plant material dries too slowly, the color of the petals changes significantly and leaves can fall off.
Why plants need to be pressed
The loss of water causes the plant tissue to shrink, changing its shape and structure. The foliage curls and looks shriveled. This change in shape is counteracted by the pressing process between absorbent materials. At the same time, the water can be drawn out of the fabric more quickly.
build plant press
A flower press has proven to be the best drying method in practice. The flowers are placed between white paper, kitchen roll sheets or paper towels. For better stability, place the material with the plants on corrugated cardboard. So you can layer several layers.
building instructions
You need two pressboards in size A4 to A3. In between you place the layered plant material. Be sure to cut the corrugated cardboard and paper to the dimensions of the press beforehand. Alternatively, you can use a metal grid instead of chipboard. Tie several straps or straps around the scaffold to build pressure.
tips
Poke holes in the corrugated cardboard. This enables better air circulation so that moisture is optimally dissipated.
insert plants
Clean your spoils of soil residues and place them as naturally as possible on the absorbent pad. There are no limits to your imagination. Note that the shapes cannot be changed afterwards.
Notes on collecting
Plant species that are under nature protection may not be picked. This includes species that are classified as endangered and are therefore on the Red List. If in doubt, leave the species as a precaution and use plants that you know.
Collecting is not allowed here:
- nature reserves
- other protected biotopes
- Private property, except with consent
Regardless of the threat, you should also keep an eye on the flower population. If you stick to the orientation value of 1:20, you are on the safe side. This says that you can pick a plant at 20 specimens. That way you won't destroy isolated stands of plants.
Which plants to collect?
You can be choosy when picking. The fresher and more intact the flowers are, the more beautiful the result will be in the end. Leave specimens that have been eaten by insects, are not in optimal condition, or have cracked leaves.