Pressing Wild Ferns, Grasses & Leaves

Q: Can I press ferns and thick leaves together?

Yes, but keep them flat and don’t let them overlap on the fabric sheet in your Microfleur press. For extra-long ferns or leaves, clip two presses together side by side. Thicker materials hold more moisture, so they need more drying time. Test your timing with an imperfect specimen first to help avoid browning or mold.

Q: How can I prevent fragile ferns from breaking?

When using a Microfleur microwave flower press, don’t overfill it or use too much pressure when attaching the clips. Lay the ferns flat on the fabric liner, with no overlap. For larger ferns, clip two presses together to give them more surface area. Ferns don’t take long to press, so test your microwave timing with an imperfect specimen first. This helps you avoid over-drying the foliage, which can make it brittle.

Wild ferns, grasses, leaves: pressing notes

I focus on thickness and moisture - not size - when pressing foliage. In a Microfleur press, I leave 1/2 to 1 inch between pieces and release steam between microwave bursts. My stopping point is papery foliage with a dry base, not a set number of cycles.

Wild ferns: Flatten well, dry fast, shrink little, and hold color well, but need gentle handling.
Grasses: Dry fastest, flatten well, and shrink little. I keep blades from overlapping.
Thin leaves: Dry fast but can shrink more. I let dew dry before pressing.
Thick leaves: Take longer and flatten less, but hold color well. I check moisture and blot the felt pads between bursts.

For long fronds, two 5-inch presses can sit side by side with the turntable stopped. Once pieces are dry, I store them in a <u>cool, dark place</u> to help limit fading.

Pressing Fall Leaves

FAQs

Can I press ferns and thick leaves together?

Yes, but keep them flat and don’t let them overlap on the fabric sheet in your Microfleur press. For extra-long ferns or leaves, clip two presses together side by side.

Thicker materials hold more moisture, so they need more drying time. Test your timing with an imperfect specimen first to help avoid browning or mold.

How can I prevent fragile ferns from breaking?

When using a Microfleur microwave flower press, don’t overfill it or use too much pressure when attaching the clips. Lay the ferns flat on the fabric liner, with no overlap. For larger ferns, clip two presses together to give them more surface area.

Ferns don’t take long to press, so test your microwave timing with an imperfect specimen first. This helps you avoid over-drying the foliage, which can make it brittle.

What should I do if leaves curl after pressing?

Before pressing, lay the leaves as flat as possible between the fabric sheets in your Microfleur press. Keep them from overlapping.

If the leaves still curl, try shorter heating intervals with rest periods between them. This lets moisture escape evenly without warping the foliage. Test your microwave’s power settings to find what gives you the flattest results.