The herbarium drying technique allows you to freeze and capture all the natural beauty of plants.
It satisfies botanists and nature lovers.
How to collect plants for your herbarium?
Pack a few simple tools that are easy to carry in a backpack: a gardening trowel, pruning shears, a magnifying glass, a large flat storage box, strips of paper, a notebook and a pencil.
Plant collection should be done after dew and in dry weather.
Otherwise your specimens risk being damaged.
When possible,
collect a plant as a whole,
including its stems, leaves, roots, flowers and fruit.
Using your magnifying glass, choose healthy subjects with whole leaves, not nibbled by insects.
When the specimen is large and bulky, take only a representative branch of the plant.
Do not hesitate to take several samples, at different times, to collect samples at each stage of development of the species.
Identify each plant with
a strip of paper
on which you note the name of the specimen, the date and place of harvest.
Use your notebook to record additional details.
Then, place your samples in your box, without folding them.
Identify each plant in your herbarium with a strip of paper on which you note the name of the specimen, the date and place of collection.
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How to effectively dry the plants in your herbarium?
The simplest and most effective method is to squeeze the plant to dry.
To do this, carefully remove one of the plants from your collection box and remove the soil from the roots.
Then, place it
on a sheet of strong paper
, such as blotting paper or painting paper.
Avoid printed paper which could leave ink marks on your plants.
Adjust the position and flatten your subject so that the leaves, stem and petals are well highlighted.
Cover with a second sheet of paper, being careful not to fold or crease any fragile items.
Also read: This mother-daughter duo transforms nature's gifts into works of art!
Place everything between your wooden planks and press with clamps, or place a heavy load on top.
You will be able to monitor and correct the position of your plant for up to 24 hours.
Afterwards, you risk breaking it.
Leave to dry
for a month for thick plants, and for two weeks for small flowers or thin plants.
Once dry, secure your plants in your herbarium with a small dot of glue or a strip of paper stuck to the stem.
Avoid adhesive tape which tends to yellow over time.
Once dry, secure your plants in your herbarium with a small dot of glue or a strip of paper stuck to the stem.
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No use without permission.
How to present and label your herbarium?
The presentation of your herbarium depends on the style you want to adopt.
Is it a fun herbarium intended to bring together plants collected during your vacation or a slightly more scientific approach, dedicated to listing plants from a very specific environment?
With a fun version, you can allow yourself to be fancy, but still try to mention at least the scientific name of the plant, its common name, the place and date of collection, the properties and uses, as well as all the information that may seem relevant to you (altitude, exposure, soil type, etc.).
It is advisable
to write all this information on a label
rather than directly on the page.
This allows it to be modified later without damaging your herbarium.
Respect the same rigor and the same logic throughout your work, it will be easier to consult.
Before you start creating your herbarium, find out about
the protected species
in your region.
It would be a shame to take them inadvertently.
Finally, for optimal conservation, store your herbarium in a dry place and protect it from pest organisms.