Create your own plant press at home to preserve plants from your backyard!
This family-friendly craft uses supplies at home and plants found in a backyard or on a walk. Plant pressing is a technique used to flatten and dry out plant samples. Dried plant material can be used by botanists to study plants or for crafts project like suncatchers or jewelry.
Materials
- Cardboard: three pieces 4×6 inches
- Newspaper: Four pieces 4×6 inches
- White paper: Four pieces 4×6 inches
- Two rubber bands
- Plant material
Instructions
- Cut cardboard, newspaper, and white paper so they are all 4×6 inches in size.
- Collect plant material with an adult. Don’t limit yourself to just flowers; you can collect leaves too!
- Plant your plant material between two pieces of white paper, then place this between two pieces of newspaper, and finally between two pieces of cardboard. Repeat this with your other materials and layer to complete your press. Use diagram to help you.
- Once layered, wrap the entire press with two rubber bands to press it tight.
- Color and design the front cover of your plant press and make it your own!
- Leave your plant material to dry in the plant press in a well-ventilated area for at least two weeks. Place heavy books on top of your plant press for extra weight if needed.
- Once dried, gently remove your pressed material and refill with fresh plants to repeat the process all season long!
Plant material tips:
- Collect beautiful, healthy specimens for your project.
- Make sure your entire plant sample fits on the press and nothing is hanging off the edge.
- Pick flowers that are thin so they dry faster, or gently take petals off to dry separately.
- Light or white colored flowers often turn dark brown when dried.
